The Other Side of Hope

Following 2011's similarly themed Le Havre, Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki returns with another agreeably unusual take on the refugee crisis. This time, the focus is on the plight of a young man fleeing war-torn Syria. After becoming separated from his sister, a desperate stowaway (Sherwan Haji) finds himself in Helsinki. There, his fortunes become entwined with those of a middle-aged local (Sakari Kuosmanen) who has packed in his job and marriage to take a punt on an amusingly awful restaurant. The ensuing shenanigans are delivered in Kaurismäki's characteristically deadpan and meticulously orchestrated style, with a misguided attempt at serving Japanese cuisine a highlight. Deftly balancing hilarity and hardship, the film's deliberately stilted interactions magnify the comedy and effectively emphasise the dispassionate response of Finnish authorities to a tidal wave of human tragedy. Scathing satire abounds but the hope bypassed in the title is in abundant supply, too, as Kaurismäki demonstrates his absolute faith in the kindness of strangers.