Film
Tom of Finland
- Director
- Dome Karukoski
- Certificate
- 18
- Running Time
- 114 mins
When Touko Laaksonen (Pekka Strang) returns home to Helsinki after WWII, he’s rather distressed to find that rampant homophobia makes coming out something of a challenge. So he moves in with his sister Kaija (Jessica Grabowsky) and contents himself with doodles of generously endowed beefcakes enjoying rough horseplay. Then unwitting Kaija takes in hunky dancer Veli (Lauri Tilkanen) as a lodger. Before long, the couple are at it hammer and tongs, and suitably emboldened Touko’s art reaches an international audience as the rebranded Tom of Finland. Paying particularly close attention to his macho leather-clad figures – inspired by those who sought to oppress him – are the likes of Robert Mapplethorpe, the Village People and Freddie Mercury.
Dome Karukoski‘s biopic of the erotic artist who gleefully straddled the art/porn divide is slick, well made and enjoyable, although those hoping to be offended will have to try very hard indeed. Go here for our full review.
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