I hired a Contract Killer

Henri Boulanger wants to die, for reasons too personal to be explained here. Since his helpless attempts to end his days go down the drain, partly because of a gas strike, partly because of his own impracticality, he ends up hiring a contract killer to send him to happier rubber-stamping grounds. While waiting for the killer to do his job, however, he makes the mistake of sipping, for the first time in his life, a whisky, and finds the courage to encounter the opposite sex eye to eye, also for the first time. Everything would be ready for setting up a family, but, unfortunately, the killer’s contract cannot be canceled.

The film moves from everyday realism through melodrama towards a surprise ending with a cinematic structure swinging between Dreyer and Melville without touching either of them in any way. (Aki Kaurismäki)

Aki Kaurismäki, writer, director, editor and producer. Born in Finland 4.4.1957, but...

Films as a director:

1981
»The Saimaa Gesture«
(Co-Dir. with Mika Kaurismäki)

1983
»Crime And Punishment«

1985
»Calamari Union«

1986
»Shadows In Paradise«
»Rocky VI« (Short)

1987
»Hamlet Goes Business«
»Thru The Wire« (Short)
»L.A.Woman« (Short)
»Rich Little Bitch« (Short)

1988
»Ariel«

1989
»Leningrad Cowboys Go America«
»Dirty Hands« (TV Film)

1990
»The Match Factory Girl«
»I Hired A Contract Killer«

1991
»Those Were The Days« (Short)
»These Boots« (Short)

1992
»La Vie De Boheme«

1993
»Total Balalaika Show - Helsinki Concert« (Documentary)

1994
»Take Care Of Your Scarf - Tatjana«
»Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses«

1996
»Drifting Clouds«

1998
»Juha«

2002
»The Man Without A Past«, »Dogs Have No Hell« (Short)

2004
»Bico« (Short)

2006
»Lights In The Dusk«