The Matriarch (2007): cast, story & where to watch
2007 · Film · ★ 6.6
Released in 2007, The Matriarch is a comedy and drama film directed by Markku Pölönen, running about 90 minutes. “lieksa, matriarch, finnish” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Martta and Otto are a pair of traveling tailors who claim to be bastard descendants of the Romanovs and wander from town to town in Finland seeking work, accompanied by their two half-witted adult sons, Hippo, Repe and equally silly son-in-law Ventti. The family occasionally turns to crime when they can't quite make ends meet, and the boys begin turning to violence with greater frequency when Otto weakens and Martta becomes the head of the family business. Their fortunes take an unexpected turn when the brothers assault and abduct a man they call Kaspar, who becomes the family's sidekick in their travels. Despite Kaspar's inability to speak, he attracts Martha's youngest daughter, an attractive young woman named Lara, but the family is in disarray when a long-lost half-brother, Laszlo, suddenly re-emerges and tries to wrest control of the clan away from his mother.
Who’s in it. The Matriarch stars Peter Franzén as Laszlo, Sanna-Kaisa Palo as Martta, Samuli Vauramo as Kasper and Jenni Banerjee as Lara, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.6/10, The Matriarch has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response. It went on to earn $435K at the box office.
Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Matriarch page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Matriarch tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Matriarch (2007)?
- Streaming, rental and purchase options for The Matriarch change frequently. Check our where-to-watch page for the latest availability in your country.
- Is The Matriarch worth watching?
- The Matriarch holds an audience score of 6.6 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy and drama. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Matriarch?
- The Matriarch stars Peter Franzén, Sanna-Kaisa Palo, Samuli Vauramo, Jenni Banerjee and Heikki Kinnunen.
- When was The Matriarch released?
- The Matriarch was released in 2007, with a runtime of about 90 minutes.