The Grump: In Search of an Escort

An irritable Finnish farmer leads a quiet, routine life until his cherished 1972 Ford Escort is destroyed. Unwilling to replace the vintage vehicle with a modern car, he travels to Germany alone after his sons decline to assist him. During the journey to acquire a replacement, the elderly man navigates the challenges of a foreign city and unexpectedly reunites with a brother he has not seen in decades. While he addresses long-forgotten family tensions, his children remain behind to work on his farm.

The film was directed by Mika Kaurismäki, appearing fourth in a chronological list of his directed works that includes Road North, The Girl King, and Master Cheng. The screenplay was written by Tuomas Kyrö and Daniela Hakulinen. Heikki Kinnunen stars as the lead character, alongside Kari Väänänen, Iikka Forss, Ville Tiihonen, Tiina Lymi, and Mari Perankoski. The production involved a total of 34 credited cast members and was co-produced by Solar Films, Aspekt Telefilm, and Cuckoo Clock Entertainment.

Produced with a budget of 3 million USD, the movie holds a rating of 6.3/10 on IMDb based on 875 votes and a 5.9/10 on TMDB from 26 votes.