A rarely seen little piece by the Grand Master Mikko Niskanen taking place in Lahti, sometimes even credited as Chicago of Finland.
Young Anna-Leena Härkönen radiates as adolescent Mona getting the Buzz of Religion, the Finnish verb "hurahtaa" (=meaning among other things to buzz, to speed by, as well as in a derogatory sense to get the religion, go a little crazy) describing what she goes through just perfectly.
The snake in the Paradise, minor but necessary evils in the film are looming as themes of teenage pregnancy, Mona's father's alcoholism and a reference to a preacher having raped an underage girl, otherwise this film would make Sunday school material.
Contemporary punk rock and on the other side religious hymns aptly symbolize the bargaining between Good and Evil.
Mostly a good natured film of youth, passion, summer and seen today also as a nostalgic blast from the 80's. How innocent we were then!
