Aarre Karén

Acting

Aarre Karén

Born — Died

1932-11-29 — 2021-08-08

Place of birth

Tokyo, Japan

Known for

Acting

Credits

43 titles

Aarre Karén was a Finnish actor who performed in theater, films and television. Karén played his first major film role in The Gauntlet (1971), directed by Maunu Kurkvaara. Karén's film career spanned 47 years, during which he appeared in many of Spede Pasanen's Uuno Turhapuro films. He also played voice roles in several popular animated films and series dubbed into Finnish, such as Rabbit in the Winnie the Pooh, Joker in Batman and Abraham Simpson in The Simpsons movie. Karén's last film role was in 21 Ways to Ruin a Marriage (2013), directed by Johanna Vuoksenmaa. Actress Linnea Skog is Karén's granddaughter.

Known for

Nurses poster
7.9

Like good soldiers in a war-zone, hospital staff are expected to respect the chain of command when dealing with life and death situations. But what happens when smug doctors, arrogant surgeons, and out-of-touch administrators make that easier said than done? Nurses deals with the professional and personal lives of four female colleagues who cope in different ways with the challenges of life on the trauma ward. With determination, strength, and a dark sense of humor, they achieve the demanding and inspiring task of saving lives in a system that sometimes seems designed to do the opposite.

Nurses

2014

Niko and the Way to the Stars poster
5.8

A young reindeer named Niko dreams about flying like his father, whom he has never met. Despite constant teasing from others, he sneaks out of his home valley to take flying lessons from Julius, a flying squirrel.

Niko and the Way to the Stars

2008

The Man Without a Past poster
7.4

Arriving in Helsinki, a nameless man is beaten within an inch of his life by thugs, miraculously recovering only to find that he has completely lost his memory. Back on the streets, he attempts to begin again from zero, befriending a moody dog and becoming besotted with a Salvation Army volunteer.

The Man Without a Past

2002

Reinikainen poster
7.7

The work and life of Finnish police officer Artturi Sakari Reinikainen.

Reinikainen

1982

Lights in the Dusk poster
6.8

Outcast by his co-workers and living alone, Koistinen is a security guard who works the night shift in a luxury shopping mall in Helsinki. But when icy blonde Mirja approaches him, the lonely Koistinen falls helplessly for her, unaware she is manipulating him for her criminal boyfriend.

Lights in the Dusk

2006

Niko 2: Little Brother, Big Trouble poster
5.9

Set right before Christmas, young reindeer Niko must deal with his mother's remarriage and his being tasked with looking after his little stepbrother.

Niko 2: Little Brother, Big Trouble

2012

Film credits

2010s · 3 titles

2000s · 9 titles

Niko and the Way to the Stars poster
5.8

A young reindeer named Niko dreams about flying like his father, whom he has never met. Despite constant teasing from others, he sneaks out of his home valley to take flying lessons from Julius, a flying squirrel.

Niko and the Way to the Stars

2008

The Man Without a Past poster
7.4

Arriving in Helsinki, a nameless man is beaten within an inch of his life by thugs, miraculously recovering only to find that he has completely lost his memory. Back on the streets, he attempts to begin again from zero, befriending a moody dog and becoming besotted with a Salvation Army volunteer.

The Man Without a Past

2002

Lights in the Dusk poster
6.8

Outcast by his co-workers and living alone, Koistinen is a security guard who works the night shift in a luxury shopping mall in Helsinki. But when icy blonde Mirja approaches him, the lonely Koistinen falls helplessly for her, unaware she is manipulating him for her criminal boyfriend.

Lights in the Dusk

2006

Quest for a Heart poster
7.3

When the most mischievous resident of Rolli Village befriends a beautiful elf girl, the hopelessly mismatched pair embarks on a magical adventure to save the Forest of Elves by traveling to the Land of Winter and recovering the mythical magical heart in this animated tale of wonder for the entire family.

Quest for a Heart

2007

Uuno Turhapuro – This Is My Life poster
4.5

Uuno disguises as an old man and infiltrates a nursing home for rich old people, where his father-in-law also lives. The ever-hungry Uuno is seduced by the table groaning with food, but as it happens, he never manages to be there at dinnertime. Meanwhile Sörsselssön enters Uuno for a TV competition named This Is My Life, where contestants tell about their life as viewers vote them either to continue or out of the show. The nursing home elderly watch on TV as Uuno tells the show's host his life story.

Uuno Turhapuro – This Is My Life

2004

Thomas poster
7.2

Thomas, a former doctor, a widower, lives alone in a basement apartment in Helsinki. His routine becomes even more limited when his misanthropic brother dies, reducing Thomas' human contact to practically nil. As with many seniors, he's basically invisible to passersby, though Thomas in particular avoids engaging with those around him. When he runs into his estranged daughter Marie, he tries to create a bridge.

Thomas

2009

The Year of the Wolf poster
5.8

Sari is a young, beautiful and intelligent girl who is busy studying at university,but she suffers from epilepsy and has to face death on a daily basis. Mikko is hersomewhat older university teacher, who is tired of life, and who one day decides toabandon his wife, children and idea of a perfect life. Both characters have been tooscared to live their lives to the brim for too long. But they meet, and in spite oftheir prejudices and reserved natures, they manage to create a dramatic and movingmodern romance which confronts numerous taboos. While the imagery explores theboundary between life and death in a most poetic way, the odd couple's romance istold with both bite and humour. Society - be it in the shape of angry ex-wives,overprotective parents, conservative aunts or embittered colleagues - is doing whatit can to put a spanner in the works."

The Year of the Wolf

2007

No artwork available
8.0

An elderly man, long stranded on a deserted island, dreams of a former love. He writes messages in bottles and sends them across the sea. One evening, a knock echoes through his solitary hut.

Air Mail

2003

Dogs Have No Hell poster
6.0

A typically idiosyncratic mini-mystery about a middle-aged man who gets out of prison, sells his shares in a company and announces that he’s heading off to Siberia to get married. Central scene, in which he convinces a woman to come with him, takes place in a Finnish rockabilly club. The Hitchcockian pacing, as the man endeavours to make his train, supplies nice momentum, and wrap-up provides a satisfying revelation as to what’s actually afoot.

Dogs Have No Hell

2002

1990s · 10 titles

Drifting Clouds poster
7.6

The ever-poker-faced Ilona loses her job as a restaurant hostess, as her tram driver husband, Lauri, also finds himself out of work. Together they must hit the streets of Helsinki, facing up to hardship and humiliation in their quest for survival, guided through the gloom by a ray of hope.

Drifting Clouds

1996

Santa Claus and the Magic Drum poster
7.1

A few days before Christmas Eve the last sack of letters arrives to Santa. At the bottom is a letter that is a bit older than the others, it's a drawing. While the curious Santa tries to figure out what the drawing looks like, strange things begin to happen.

Santa Claus and the Magic Drum

1996

Yöjuna poster
5.0

A midnight freight train collides with a mysteriously abandoned truck at Rajamäki station, derailing and revealing that its cargo manifests were falsified. Investigation secretary Ari Nykänen uncovers a scheme smuggling explosives out of the country, with evidence pointing to collusion among senior VR executives.

Yöjuna

1996

Nitro League poster
8.0

An jolly gang of elderly people plan to rob a bank.

Nitro League

1993

Uuno Turhapuro Suomen Tasavallan Herra Presidentti poster
4.8

Uuno Turhapuro becomes the President of Finland. Streets are named after him and honorary companies are arranged for him. He also tries to turn Finland into a kingdom.

Uuno Turhapuro Suomen Tasavallan Herra Presidentti

1992

Anita poster
4.4

Crime caper involving two con artists who team up to pull off a super scam. Complications arise when the female member of the team falls in love with the male partner, who is mainly interested in the money.

Anita

1994

Vääpeli Körmy ja marsalkan sauva poster
5.6

The colonel's wife's tin pints need to be cleaned up, and Sergeant First Class Körmy tasks two privates to do so.

Vääpeli Körmy ja marsalkan sauva

1990

Uuno Turhapuron veli poster
3.1

Uuno Turhapuro's brother returns home from Sweden at the same time that Uuno has been seemingly kidnapped.

Uuno Turhapuron veli

1994

Uuno Turhapuron poika poster
3.9

Gangsters try to steal Uuno Turhapuro's father-in-law's money by infiltrating into the family through Uuno, by pretending he has a long-lost son.

Uuno Turhapuron poika

1993

Takatöölö Story poster
2.0

A reporter starts investigating a murder while making a documentary about a 60's youth gang.

Takatöölö Story

1993

1980s · 12 titles

The Worthless poster
6.5

Manne, Harri, and Ville Alfa are rootless twenty-somethings in search of purpose for their banal lives. After Manne steals a priceless painting from a group of petty criminals, Manne and Harri flee from the gangsters across Finland, while Ville goes to Paris. On the road they meet Veera, an old girlfriend of Harri's, and try to avoid the gangsters in pursuit.

The Worthless

1982

Cha Cha Cha poster
7.0

A lawyer pays a visit to Matti Ojanperä, a bum living under a bridge in the Helsinki harbour, to inform him that he is about to inherit an American aunt of his. The sum 1,000,000 Fmk would be his, if only he meets the qualifications set by his aunt. He must show that he is capable of 'living properly' and possessing a 'respectable occupation and a family he can support'. Otherwise the money would go to a foundation the chairman of which the lawyer himself happens to be!

Cha Cha Cha

1989

Maailman paras poster
NR

No synopsis available yet.

Maailman paras

1986

Uuno Turhapuro menettää muistinsa poster
4.8

Uuno Turhapuro hits his head and loses his memory. Meanwhile, his friend Härski Hartikainen founds a new peace movement with unorthodox methods.

Uuno Turhapuro menettää muistinsa

1982

Uuno Turhapuro armeijan leivissä poster
6.2

Uuno is forced to complete his mandatory military service when it is revealed that he only spent one day in the army in his youth. As is typical of the Turhapuro series his family and friends become closely tied in with these events. His friends Härski Hartikainen and Sörsselssön return to the army for a refresher course and by chance Uuno's father-in-law, Councillor Tuura is made the Finnish Defence Minister. In one of the most memorable scenes, Uuno's wife, Elisabeth, dresses as Uuno and substitutes him for a day as Uuno has an apparently urgent meeting (at a restaurant) and while becoming lost in the woods with a malfunctioning radio, Tuura accidentally declares war on Sweden.

Uuno Turhapuro armeijan leivissä

1984

Menestyksen maku poster
4.3

A young advertising executive decides to focus on success in his life. As he concentrates on building his career, both his family and his colleagues are pushed aside.

Menestyksen maku

1983

Uuno Turhapuro muuttaa maalle poster
5.9

Uuno's father-in-law councillor Tuura moves to the country with his wife and daughter Elisabeth. Uuno joins them when it turns out Tuura's mansion is on the construction site of a new road. Tuura however is set on preventing this.

Uuno Turhapuro muuttaa maalle

1986

Farewell, Mr. President poster
6.2

Asko Mertanen is a waiter who is very interested in shooting. He gets fed up how the things are run in Finland, so he thinks that the best way to change them is to shoot the Finnish president.

Farewell, Mr. President

1987

Apinan vuosi poster
6.2

A young student seeks direction in his life to counterbalance the studies through female adventures.

Apinan vuosi

1983

Pedon merkki poster
4.5

Set during the Second World War in the Finnish war zone.

Pedon merkki

1981

Ulvova mylläri poster
5.9

The main character is a miller, who sometimes acts strangely but is otherwise a goodhearted hardworking honest man. He sometimes keeps the villagers up all night by howling. Finally the villagers decide that the miller has to be committed into a mental hospital, where the hero does not have to spend too much time until he escapes. The miller takes to the woods near his home but there he is constantly harassed by the chief of the police with his posse.

Ulvova mylläri

1982

Linna poster
5.0

Based on Franz Kafka's famous novel, director Jaakko Pakkasvirta created this interpretation of the woebegone Josef K., who is trapped in an ever-increasing labyrinth of double talk and bureaucratic nonsense in his efforts to reach the castle. As Josef seeks to make an appointment to see the ruler Herr Klamm inside his inaccessible abode, he becomes enmeshed in abuse from lowly villagers and bureaucrats alike. His endless false starts toward the castle's enigmatic interior are partly offset by a few sexual encounters but nothing alleviates his role as a victim of forces beyond his control.

Linna

1986

Series credits