Le Havre (PG)
- Starring: Andre Wilms, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Blondin Miguel
- Director: Aki Kaurismaki
- Duration: 103 mins
- Year: 2011
In this warmhearted portrait of the French harbour city that gives the film its name, fate throws young African refugee Idrissa into the path of Marcel Marx, a well-spoken bohemian who works as a shoeshiner. With innate optimism and the unwavering support of his community, Marcel stands up to officials doggedly pursuing the boy for deportation. A political fairy tale that exists somewhere between the reality of contemporary France and the classic cinema of Jean-Pierre Melville and Marcel Carne, Le Havre is a charming, deadpan delight.
Reviews
Alison Rowat's Review
Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki returns with a tale of a shoeshine man trying to protect a young African immigrant on the run from police.
All this while the amiable Max (Andre Wilms) worries about his wife in hospital.
As with many of Kaurismaki’s films, Le Havre is heavy on whimsy, with the comedy played either very gently or too broad.
An acquired taste.