A sort of "Divorce Finnish Style," Mika Kaurismäki's rambunctious comedy, The House of Branching Love , recounts the breakup of a thirty-something professional couple - Juhani, a family therapist, and his wife, Tuula, a successful business trainer.
An asphalt contractor, who has sacrificed his life to make a profit, finds himself in a financial dead-end. The ever gentle-minded road engineer Rauno Kannisto is hired to the construction site, to build a road that cuts through the vast forests by the Russian border. He knows nothing of the financial difficulties. Soon, Rauno finds himself in a situation where he doesn't know which way to turn. The sub-contractor becomes the main contractor, workers are loaded in containers from the other side of the border, and the contractor's wife has a smile that makes you lose your sleep. Middle of the Road is a dark comedy about loyalty and greed.
