The Man Without a Past

After being beaten up by muggers and losing everything including his memory, an unnamed man walks out of hospital. Joining a group of losers living in containers, he begins the arduous task of piecing together some of his life again. He meets little kindness, although a female Salvation Army officer is more than superficially interested in him.

With this comedic drama, Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki once again shows how well he can portray characters who expect nothing from life, sometimes warm, sometimes touching, often hilarious. At the time, The Man Without a Past (2002) was nominated for the Oscar for Best Foreign Film and for the Golden Palm at Cannes.