Steam of Life

Finnish men bare in saunas bare more than their naked bodies in this documentary.

“Sometimes it’s good to talk.” So says one of the Finnish men featured in this documentary in which a series of revealing vignettes show men spilling their guts in saunas. It is here where they feel most comfortable telling of their happiest and most tragic moments. Similar in style to last year’s great festival selection, “Cooking History,” “Steam of Life” is impressive in that the filmmakers were able to get this much raw emotion in a culture known for male stoicism. But it’s not without a few cheesy sequences, like the closing. (Finland, 81 min.) Erik McClanahan. 3 out of 4 stars