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Le Havre (2011)

Director: Aki Kaurismäki

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6 reviews

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From Time Out London

The long collaboration between Finnish writer-director Aki Kaurismäki (‘Drifting Clouds’, ‘The Man Without a Past’) and his cinematographer Timo Salminen means you can spot a shot from his films a mile off: unsmiling characters will be looking into the distance, shadows will be obvious, colours will be varied but muted and locations will be downbeat. It’s true even of ‘Le Havre’, which is set in the French port of the title rather than Kaurismäki’s usual haunt of Helsinki. This is his second French-language film after 1992's 'La Vie de Bohème' and tells of the efforts of a shabby, big-hearted shoeshiner, Marcel (André Wilms), to shelter Idrissa (Blondin Miguel), an illegal immigrant, from the long arm of the law.

This story emerges as much from the world of cinema as the real: it’s full of suspect men in ill-fitting coats and hats, like extras in ’40s noirs. A detective, Monet (Jean-Pierre Darroussin), sports a black raincoat and gloves and skulks round corners, French acting legend Jean-Pierre Léaud has a bit part as a grass and there’s a musical interlude featuring French rocker Little Bob. You could be forgiven for thinking that the film’s concern for outsiders is buried beneath an arch style and countless insider film nods, but ‘Le Havre’ still emerges as a simple, hopeful and nostalgic portrait of an essentially good community. What really saves ‘Le Havre’ from being too precious, apart from a wicked thread of black humour, is a sense of solidarity between not just the story’s characters, but between them, the filmmaker and us.

Author: Dave Calhoun

Time Out London Issue 2172: April 5-11, 2012

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User reviews of this film

Lydia said...

Posted on May 18 2012 15:53 I really enjoyed this querky and touching film. I'll have to watch it again to get all the painting references. It's set in no particular time and all the characters are somehow out of place, but cohesive at the same time. Lovely

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John Benson said...

Posted on Apr 30 2012 09:21 Even for a time-rich retiree this was a complete waste of time.

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david glowacki said...

Posted on Apr 11 2012 00:18 This is my fourth film l have see by the Finnish/Japanese director,and it is the least enjoyable and creatively successful...The Finnish language lends itself readily to laconic minimalism.However French does not sit so well with the director's style..It has too many words and not enough nuance...The film has it's moments but overall l felt indifferent whilst watching

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Sutton said...

Posted on Apr 10 2012 21:58 An enjoyable film in the mould of an Eric Rohmer film.

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Michael said...

Posted on Apr 04 2012 09:19 It's his second French-language film - and it's got quite a few in-jokes for those who've seen 1992's 'La vie de Bohème'.

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yiorgos said...

Posted on Apr 04 2012 00:30 A lovely, understated gem and an antidote to the horribly contrived white middle class guilt of Phillipe Loiret's 'Welcome'

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