This is my favorite Finnish documentary, telling a sad story about 3 door-to-door salesmen trying to sell vacuum cleaners. The salesmen eagerly demonstrate the products and use very persuasive selling speeches yet most of the time they fail to sell and even more often are told to try next door.

In early '90s Finland was in a deep economic depression and these guys are trying to sell some very expensive tools for senior citizens, students, unemployed and whatnot. Yet some of them are very optimistic about their future, listening to self-improvement tapes in the car and one guy hopes of a career in selling cars, while the other actually realizes his poor situation.

Unintentional comic moments and the rainy and dark winter evenings create a nice contrast and the bottom line really is that while door-to-door sellers are an annoyance, they are human after all.

Finnish cinema is known for its minimalist style, dry humor, and reflective mood. It often explores loneliness, resilience, and human connection against stark northern landscapes. Finnish films balance melancholy and warmth, capturing the Nordic atmosphere through understated human drama and strong character focus.

Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen in Fallen Leaves (2023)

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

In this Finnish cinema classic, three vacuum cleaner salesmen go door-to-door selling dreams of dust-free homes and personal ambitions in a bleak Finland hit by the worst recession in history.

Audiovisuaalisen Kulttuurin Edistämiskeskus (AVEK)

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Kaisu Mikkonen and Viljo Mikkonen in Autobonus (2001)

Mikko Niskanen in Eight Fatal Shots (1972)

Vesa-Matti Loiri in Uuno Turhapuro (1973)

Tuomas Milonoff and Riku Rantala in Madventures (2002)

Juha Veijonen in Private Eye Vares (2004)

Ismo Alanko, Juice Leskinen, and Martti Syrjä in The Saimaa Gesture (1981)

Heikki Hela, Timo Kahilainen, Heikki Silvennoinen, and Heikki Vihinen in Kummeli Kultakuume (1997)

Pölynimurikauppiaat

Photos2

Top Cast7

User reviews1

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed