By Daryl Bär
Life after the leap proves alienating for Maarit. Since her sexual reassignment she has lost her family, works an unskilled job and longs for a meaningful relationship with a good man. Being caught off guard in a compromising situation leads her into a friendship with Sami, a man struggling to deal with his ailing marriage. Their meeting acts as a catalyst for irrevocable change within both of their lives.
It would be remiss of me to state that Leea Klemola is the best choice for the role of Maarit as I can’t help but imagine how differently this story would’ve been with an actual transgender actor in this role. That being said, it’s the chemistry between Klemola and Peter Franzén that drives the narrative and their tender and earnest performances help craft a certain sincerity to their scenes.
The key strength to this film is the fact that at its core, Open Up To Me is about building relationships, being true to the person you are and choosing to live a life instead of letting it pass you by. While the drama never falls into the trappings of melancholia or the preposterous this does mean there are times when there’s clear indication of where the various plot threads are going. This isn’t necessarily a negative but (in spite of the great performances) the lack of any unexpected or revelatory developments mean Open Up To Me is an engaging but ultimately forgettable drama.
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