A documentary that covers just about the whole emotional spectrum. The idea is simple: the filmmakers follow Finnish men in the sauna and let them talk about their lives, and they talk, punctuated with silence. They share their life's stories, they talk about their children, they talk about lost loves, dreams and hopes. We see a lot of different men in different saunas and in different places in their lives.

I had heard praise about this film before seeing it, but after the film I was still surprised. The film is immensely touching, and I noticed most of the audience (consisting, of, to my surprise, mostly of men) was in tears when the lights came back on. This film says something very important about Finnish men, and Finnish culture in general. That even though not much may be said, the understanding, the compassion, and the friendship are still there.

In the best Finnish documentary tradition the film also has a lighter and funnier side. Some scenes will make you laugh in awe, some will leave you in tears.

Having read raving reviews about 'Miesten vuoro' (Steam of Life),which reportedly has reduced many viewers to tears, I expected much from this hauntingly beautiful documentary about Finnish masculinity, the sauna culture, and male vulnerability. The movie delivered everything I expected from it, and more; it's a gripping, genuinely moving portrayal of the sensitive side of rough men who have been raised to hide their emotions.

The concept is rather simple; a variety of ordinary Finnish men talking about highly emotional moments of their lives in saunas. The men represent various different age groups and occupations, but in the context of the film their roles in the society are almost irrelevant. In the sauna, the men shed their clothes, social masks, and inhibitions, and bare the true, raw emotions behind their tough exteriors. Clothes and occupations can only tell so much about a person. The bare, life-shaped bodies of these men - some old and some young, some fat and some skinny, some well-built and others filled with scars - say so much more. And beneath both their clothes and their skins, the men are very much alike.

The stories the men tell vary between heart-warming and heart-breaking; they talk about parenthood and childhood, of friendship and marriage, of birth and of death. Many of the men talk about their children, and for me both the tragic and the happy stories of fatherhood stood out as the most touching scenes of the movie.

It's very difficult to make a movie about such an emotional subject matter without being overly sentimental, but 'Miesten vuoro' manages to do just that. The scenes are very intimate, but also properly aloof. The beautiful score and gorgeous images of the rough wilderness and snowy cities support the emotional content perfectly without drenching the movie in needless sap. There are also splashes of tender humour scattered around the film, which makes it vibrant and balanced.

There's something cathartic about watching the men open up, reveal their emotions, and wash themselves. It doesn't take a genius to point out the metaphorical connection between emotional and physical purification through bathing and talking. It's like a religious rite; in 'Miesten vuoro', the sauna is a place of meditation for men who cannot bare their hearts anywhere else.

I'm a simple guy as far as movies go. Seagal movies are my favorites, followed closely by Ferrell-movies and such. I'm not generally into movies that are supposedly deep or emotional. Directing, acting, characters and pretty much everything can be sacrificed for the sake of entertainment.

Watching 'Steam of Life', however, brought tears to my eyes. I was not entertained, I was moved.

It's not entirely because of the stories the men shared. I know a lot of sad stories, and sad things happen all around the world, all the time. It's the way you can relate to the men. We are all different, but we have one thing in common: Sauna, and what sauna represents.

"Boys don't cry" In sauna, however, we can. And we have. There is a place in the world where we can stop trying to live up to other people's expectations. Where we can drop the mask, wash away the makeup (figuratively speaking) get the s*** off our chests.

I could speak objectively, about directing and camera angles and whatnot, but I honestly don't think it's necessary. What this movie represents is more important.

I would however like to mention the story about a grandad who chopped wood for grandma. That was one of the most beautiful things I have heard in a very long time.

I, a Seagal fan, will give this movie as many stars as I will ever give any movie, 9. Highly recommended. Finally it's men's turn.