Some years ago, when asked about the period in which his films take place, Kaurismäki replied with uncustomary seriousness that it was between 1950 and the present day, and this is always more evident when he makes a film abroad and the hunt for anachronistic locations is evident. At any rate, you know he'll find the biggest toilet in any given country and
Le Havre is no exception. The main character, too, has a profession transposed from yesteryear, being an elderly shoeshiner. In a slight divergence from his norm, Kaurismäki does add a contemporary element with the topic of illegal immigration, but the rest is the usual laconically told fairytale as the shoeshiner takes an African boy sought by the authorities under his wing and goes about arranging the boy's safe passage to his family.
There are cameos by deadpan regulars, the props, colours and expressionist lighting are all determinedly trademark retro and space is found to jam in a rock'n'roll musical number in its entirety. It's perfectly as sweet as ever, but really smacks of the director just going through the motions, with numerous scenes replicating ones from his earlier work.
5/10
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