Calamari Union: Aki Kaurismäki’s very dry crime dramedy tells the story of a gang (or is it a band?) of men named Frank intent on completing the seemingly impossible task of crossing the city of Helsinki. Their impoverished neighborhood doesn’t offer them any prospects, so they want to move to an almost mythical area of town. In that sense, their quest is very relatable; their methods, or lack thereof, not so much, but that’s where the absurdity of it all comes into play. Of course, the usual Kaurismäki deadpan tone has the characters take everything that happens to them in stride, never unfazed by anything. They are all the epitome of cool, with ever-present sunglasses, chain-smoking, and raincoats. The large cast is game, always fun to watch, and too many to mention individually. Cinematographer Timo Salminen shoots it with high-contrast lighting, giving the film a very emblematic feel. The editing, by Kaurismäki and Raija Talvio, keeps the film tight and to-the-point. As usual, the use of music is superb.