Le Havre

Le Havre is a delightful story of optimism written and directed by Aki Kaurismaki.  Set in French port town Le Havre, the film spins the contemporary immigration problems of France into a sort of realistic fairy tale.

When authorities discover illegal African refugees fresh from a cargo ship, only the young Idrissa (Blondin Miguel) escapes.  Local shoe shiner Marcel Marx (Andre Williams) takes the boy under his care. Marx’s wife, Arletty, falls ill, and while she is in the hospital Marx takes Idrissa into his home.  A local French rock star “Little Bob,” who is in real life a rock n’ roll legend of sorts, agrees to play a show and donate the funds. With the help of Little Bob, neighbors, and a police chief who is not so dedicated to deporting the boy, Marx raises enough money to send Idrissa to his mother in England.  It is in the same day that Marx bids the boy farewell and finds his wife in the hospital, cured.

Pastels and sparse dialogue make for a soft and leisurely film.  In an almost noir style, the classic nature of the scenes goes along perfectly with the French setting, with police and old locals who band together against them.  The contrast of dark-skinned Idrissa and the port town’s light soft colors encourage the climax, when we see the boy carried away on a boat to England.  The pace drifts slowly along, with a break here and there accompanied by increased movement scenes.

With deadpan humor and a happy ending, Aki Kaurismaki manages to construct a heartwarming
film that reaches into human compassion in a classic way. The purposeful nature of the film allowed for optimism to mingle with suspicion and reflection on what it means to help others. Le Havre is a charmer I’ll keep in my collection for when I need a splash of hope.