Four Little Adults

Mattias (Eero Milonoff) and Juulia (Alma Pöysti) have been happily married for 20 years. They’re deeply in love, but Mattias also has feelings for a woman named Enni (Oona Airola). The affair is soon discovered by Juulia, and while she’s initially devastated by the revelation, she proposes that they start an open marriage, having realised how much Mattias and Enni mean to each other. What follows in writer-director Selma Vilhunen’s Four Young Adults is a mature and understated, yet deeply moving examination of love and relationships as the couple negotiate the coming months.

Pöysti is nothing short of electrifying throughout the feature. The actor brings so much raw energy and tenderness to the table that it’s impossible not to become swept up in the turbulent variety of emotions she faces. Her talent is evident from an early scene in which Juulia screams at her cheating husband to stay, with the actor only becoming more remarkable from here. Milonoff, though giving a comparatively more subdued performance, is likewise extraordinary. Airola and Pietu Wikström (who plays Juulia’s new partner Miska) also give strong turnouts to round out the core cast.

While this film could have so easily turned into a steamy melodrama, Vilhunen’s skilful, character-driven script ensures the focus never drifts from the relationships at the centre of the drama. Those involved speak honestly about what they’re going through, and while at times the interactions can come off a tad unnatural, the filmmaker demonstrates an elegant emotional maturity regarding the subject at hand. Although the idea of an open relationship sounds good at first, added complications of jealousy amongst other unforeseen circumstances show how challenging loving another person can be.

Adding to the drama is that Mattias is a high-ranking Christian pastor while Juulia is a prominent politician campaigning for family equality. There was ample opportunity for the script to dig deeper into its core discussion by examining the religious angle alongside Juulia’s hypocrisy, but neither of these glaring plot points gets much attention. Regardless of this puzzling omission, Vilhunen succeeds in delivering a delicate and thoughtful meditation on love.

Through poignant writing and dazzling performances, Four Little Adults is a constantly stunning drama about polyamorous relationships.

Andrew Murray

Four Little Adults is released in select cinemas on 7^th June 2024.

Watch the trailer for Four Little Adults here: