Le Havre

(Aki Kaurismaki/2011/France)

After 5 years of silence Aki Kaurismaki returned to tackle what I believe will prove to be one of the greatest scandals, tragedies and blots against humanity of these times - refugees. Kaurismaki is unmistakable in his cast of characters and settings - the deadbeats and lowly paid, the downward echelons of society, living in the back streets of a dirty harbour town. This is where we find kindness and love and understanding in abundance and given freely by folk who have little else. Little else but their society built on all the things society is supposed to be and living in the context of a colder, distant, global society with little regard to the needs and wants of individual men and women. Cut through with a lot more humor and color than usual this a fine return from the Fin. Essential viewing really.

(4/5)