Le Havre (2011)
Country: FIN/FR/GER
Technical: col 93m
Director: Aki Kaurismäki
Cast: André Wilms, Kati Outinen, Jean-Pierre Darroussin
Synopsis:
A shoe shiner takes his wife to hospital for cancer treatment and picks up an African boy who has escaped from a container-load of clandestine immigrants en route to the UK. He determines to help him rejoin his family, with the help of the inhabitants of his street.
Review:
Deeply satisfying 'comedy', like an Ealing comedy done with Nordic sombreness. Kaurismäki's very formalised mise-en-scène (objects moved in and out of shot, studied arrangement of props, all but expressionless delivery) is perfect for what amounts to a recreation of a French society that is no more: a policeman who dresses in 1940s black and drives an old Peugeot, a baker, barkeeper and greengrocer who seem right out of a Jeunet film. The theme of illegal migration sits alongside this in surprising comfort, and the (note) elderly cast perform their roles to perfection.
Country: FIN/FR/GER
Technical: col 93m
Director: Aki Kaurismäki
Cast: André Wilms, Kati Outinen, Jean-Pierre Darroussin
Synopsis:
A shoe shiner takes his wife to hospital for cancer treatment and picks up an African boy who has escaped from a container-load of clandestine immigrants en route to the UK. He determines to help him rejoin his family, with the help of the inhabitants of his street.
Review:
Deeply satisfying 'comedy', like an Ealing comedy done with Nordic sombreness. Kaurismäki's very formalised mise-en-scène (objects moved in and out of shot, studied arrangement of props, all but expressionless delivery) is perfect for what amounts to a recreation of a French society that is no more: a policeman who dresses in 1940s black and drives an old Peugeot, a baker, barkeeper and greengrocer who seem right out of a Jeunet film. The theme of illegal migration sits alongside this in surprising comfort, and the (note) elderly cast perform their roles to perfection.
Country: FIN/FR/GER
Technical: col 93m
Director: Aki Kaurismäki
Cast: André Wilms, Kati Outinen, Jean-Pierre Darroussin
Synopsis:
A shoe shiner takes his wife to hospital for cancer treatment and picks up an African boy who has escaped from a container-load of clandestine immigrants en route to the UK. He determines to help him rejoin his family, with the help of the inhabitants of his street.
Review:
Deeply satisfying 'comedy', like an Ealing comedy done with Nordic sombreness. Kaurismäki's very formalised mise-en-scène (objects moved in and out of shot, studied arrangement of props, all but expressionless delivery) is perfect for what amounts to a recreation of a French society that is no more: a policeman who dresses in 1940s black and drives an old Peugeot, a baker, barkeeper and greengrocer who seem right out of a Jeunet film. The theme of illegal migration sits alongside this in surprising comfort, and the (note) elderly cast perform their roles to perfection.