Heavy Trip 2018

Turo Moilanen, an aspiring musician and mental health worker residing in a quaint village in Northern Finland, finds himself tangled in a web of ambition, love, and unexpected misadventures. He fronts a struggling extreme metal band that includes his dedicated friends: the drummer Jynkky, bassist Pasi, and guitarist Lotvonen. Despite their collective aspirations, the band grapples with a range of issues: a lack of agreement on a band name, Turo’s crippling stage fright that hinders their chances to tour, and Pasi constantly pointing out that Lotvonen’s riffs seem borrowed from other songs.

Amidst all this, Turo develops a crush on Miia, the daughter of the local police commissioner, Kujanpää. However, he faces stiff competition from the charismatic local singer Jouni, who also has his eyes set on Miia and warns Turo off. The band’s fortunes shift dramatically when an accident involving a reindeer carcass at the slaughterhouse inspires them to create their first original song, “Flooding Secretions,” and adopt the bold name “Impaled Rektum.” When a Norwegian promoter, Frank Massegrav, mistakenly gets doused in reindeer blood, an excited Jynkky seizes the opportunity to hand over their demo tape. Jynkky fervently believes that this will secure them a spot at the music festival, and Turo, feeling pressured, lies to Miia about their gig, which leads to the entire town chatting about their newfound success, altering the band’s image from outcasts to local celebrities.

However, this rise to fame proves to be fleeting. Just as they prepare to perform at a local venue, disappointment strikes when Frank Massegrav tells them they won’t be playing at the festival after all. Turo, succumbing to his performance anxiety, vomits on the front row as the concert begins, and it only gets worse when Jouni, who overhears Frank’s call, exposes the truth to the audience, leading to an abrupt fall from grace for the band.

In a fit of determination, Jynkky risks everything by stealing a van to drive to the festival, but tragedy strikes when he crashes the vehicle. Heartbroken by the loss of their friend, the band members go their separate ways, dissolving their dreams. Yet, hope and courage reignite when Miia confronts Turo, reminding him that surrendering is not an option. Revitalized, Turo steals Jouni’s van, gathers Pasi and Lotvonen, and even breaks out mental patient Oula, who has taken up metal drumming to cope with his condition.

As their journey to the festival unfolds, Norwegian authorities begin searching for the fugitives. Misunderstanding the band for terrorists, border guards clash with a bachelor party, allowing the band to escape undetected. Cornered at a cliff’s edge, the band, desperate to seize their moment, take a leap of faith—literally jumping off the cliff along with Jynkky’s coffin. They manage to wash up on shore, where they find themselves in the company of live action role-players, who transport them to the festival aboard a Viking longship.

Upon arriving at the festival, Frank Massegrav acknowledges their dedication and grants them a single song performance slot. With Miia in attendance, Turo gathers the courage to express his feelings, leading to a heartfelt moment between them. However, Turo’s anxiety resurfaces on stage, and alas, he finds himself vomiting once again. In an unexpected twist, he regains his composure to lead the band in a triumphant performance with Jynkky’s coffin proudly carried by the crowd. Following the show, the band faces arrest, yet Turo reflects on their journey with no regrets, confident that their music will echo in the world once more.