The Other Side of Hope: much as when crossing a river, no man ever watches the same film twice; the man’s emotional package, knowledge, and tastes are always in flow, and if the film may remain the same, at the very least its context changes. So, a revisit to Aki Kaurismäki’s deadpan tale confirms the good and reneges much of the bad. The film follows two men, first separately and later together; the first is a Syrian refugee who gets to Finland and seeks asylum, and the second is a disgruntled salesman who becomes a restaurant owner. The film is typically deadpan, with superb pace (edited by Samu Heikkilä), but a bit darker than his traditional oeuvre, as the theme asks. It’s also deeply humanistic. Acting is deadpan: Sakari Kuosmanen, as the new restauranteur with a hearth of gold below his tough-guy persona and impressive physique, is quite good; Sherwan Haji, as the scrappy refugee, likewise. Ilkka Koivula is hilarious as another worker in the restaurant. The use of music is quite good, and cinematographer Timo Salminen captures the action well; art Markku Pätilä creates colourful sets, attractive even when they are destitute.

Read what I wrote before: The Other Side of Hope