The Other Side of Hope (2017)
The funny thing with Kaurismaki, is that he basically does the same thing with all his films. Same style, same stilted acting, and with narratives that mostly center around people on the fringes of normal society. Some times it clicks other times it feels rehashed and uninspired. It does click well here. This is his very direct take and comment on immigration in the wake of the Syrian civil war.
As a story about a refugee trying to gain his footing and ultimately asylum in an European, it is narratively well known territory. What makes Kaurismaki’s version of this stand out, comes from his unique film making style. Everything is stilted, devoid of emotion or drama. It is very far from anything resembling natural acting. I think that allows for the story to speaks for itself, without the usual emotional manipulative film techniques. This made the story more engaging for me than the usual violin-heavy score and actors bringing themselves to tears to underline a tragic story.
Criterion Challenge - 38. Random Letter
Rating: 4