The Squirrel (2026)

I went into The Squirrel thinking it sounded like a strange little sci-fi movie that Amy would probably enjoy more than I would. Instead, I freaking loved it.

The world is what grabbed me first. Everything is clean, safe and controlled. People have basically traded freedom, intimacy and anything messy for comfort. There is no touching. No kissing. No real connection. What makes it work is that the movie does not spend forever explaining how society got there. It just drops you into it, and honestly, it is not hard to imagine people making those choices one small step at a time. Then you add a squirrel.

That sounds ridiculous, but the squirrel is what gives the whole movie its heart. Pasi brings it into this perfectly controlled environment and tries to give it everything it should need. Food. Safety. Comfort. And it still is not okay. That is where the movie really clicked for me. The squirrel becomes this simple way of showing what is wrong with the people too. We can convince ourselves that being safe and comfortable is enough, but there are things we need that cannot be sterilized or engineered away.

I also loved the dry humor. I have seen the movie compared to 2001: A Space Odyssey meets Dumb and Dumber, and I really do not think Dumb and Dumber describes it. This is much quieter and more awkward. Pasi and Emilia have this strange chemistry where they are curious about each other but also seem almost afraid of what that curiosity means. It is funny because of how uncomfortable everything is, not because the movie is throwing jokes at you.

For a movie set in such a cold, sterile world, The Squirrel is surprisingly warm. It is funny, hopeful, beautifully shot and just a really good movie. It's the official Finnish submission for Best International Picture Oscar. I know what film I'll be rooting for this awards season.

You had me at squirrel.

Seriously, I did not know much about this movie before we watched it. William told me there was a squirrel, it was not horror, and he thought I would like it. That was pretty much enough information for me. What I did not expect was how much I would end up loving the whole thing.

The world they live in is so weird because part of me understands it. Everything is clean. Everything is safe. Nobody is getting sick. I can absolutely see why somebody would say, “Okay, I can live like this.” Then you realize nobody touches, nobody kisses, everybody is alone and there is basically no fun. So maybe I do not want the perfectly clean bubble after all.

Pasi and Emilia were also really sweet together. They both have this innocence because they do not really know anything outside the world they grew up in. Watching them become curious about each other is awkward in the best way. Somehow they have chemistry while also acting like neither one of them knows what to do with another person.

And then there is the squirrel. Every time it made one of those sad little noises, I was sitting there thinking, please do not let anything happen to the squirrel. I was way too emotionally invested in that little thing. But that is also where the movie gets you. The squirrel can have food, shelter and everything it needs to stay alive, and that still does not mean it is happy. It needs more than that. So do the people.

I also have to mention the subtitles because normally I am the person going, “I have to read and watch a movie?” Not here. I was completely in. I would read those subtitles all day long for this one.

It is funny, but not loud funny. It is sweet without getting cheesy, and even though the whole world is sterile and strange, the movie itself feels warm. This is exactly the kind of movie I could put on when I just want something that makes me feel good.