100
The Hollywood Reporter by David Rooney
The movie is a small marvel of impeccable craftsmanship.
The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki (Hymyilevä mies)
Critic Rating
(read reviews)User Rating
- Finland,
- Sweden,
- Germany
- 2016
- · 92m
Director
Juho Kuosmanen
Cast
Jarkko Lahti,
Oona Airola,
Eero Milonoff,
Joanna Haartti,
Joonas Saartamo
Genre
Drama,
Romance
It's the summer of 1962, and Finnish fighter Olli Mäki has a shot at the world championship title in featherweight boxing. Everything has been prepared for his fame and fortune. All Olli has to do is lose weight and concentrate. But there's a problem – he's fallen in love with Raija.
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What are critics saying?
100
Variety by Guy Lodge
Kuosmanen’s unassuming yet immaculate command of tone and form here would impress at any stage of his career, but it’s entirely remarkable in a first feature.
90
Screen Daily by Sarah Ward
Low-key performances by the conflicted Lahti and the radiant Airola prove the final knockout hit, with The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki at its best when it’s lingering upon the nuanced expressions on their faces, or highlighting the way their portrayals so convincingly convey their characters’ affections.
90
Screen International by Sarah Ward
Low-key performances by the conflicted Lahti and the radiant Airola prove the final knockout hit, with The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki at its best when it’s lingering upon the nuanced expressions on their faces, or highlighting the way their portrayals so convincingly convey their characters’ affections.
90
Los Angeles Times by Kenneth Turan
The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki is a lovely piece of work, a sweet, warmly observed tale overlaid with just the right amount of Scandinavian melancholy, a combination that perfectly suits its quietly engaging protagonist.
83
The A.V. Club by A.A. Dowd
It’s more of a gently comic character sketch in boxing trunks.
80
Village Voice by Michael Nordine
Olli Mäki isn't a knockout, but it does go the distance.
80
Time Out London by Trevor Johnston
It’s an authentic celebration of the timeless delights of country bike rides and skimming stones. Absolutely lovely.
80
CineVue by John Bleasdale
A unique and beautiful boxing movie.
80
The Guardian by Peter Bradshaw
It is a film of immense humanity and charm: the very best kind of date movie.
80
The New York Times by Manohla Dargis
The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki deepens quietly. This is Mr. Kuosmanen’s first feature (he has directed a few shorts), and if he had any rookie jitters you wouldn’t know it.
75
Slant Magazine by Carson Lund
This is a sports tale in which the character building has almost nothing to do with the sport.
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto) by Brad Wheeler
As for the winner and new champion, it has to be Kuosmanen, who never met a boxing-film cliché he couldn’t discreetly avoid.
75
The Film Stage by Michael Snydel
It finds a poetically understated ending, but the drama, especially near the end, borders on being too repetitive. Still, it’s a worthwhile showcase for excellent performances, assured direction, and a twist on the sports story that prioritizes character before history.
75
The Playlist
Although “Olli Mäki” ostensibly belongs to the boxing film genre as much as it is functions as a romantic drama, it never seems truly invested in the underdog narrative of its title character.
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