The Other Side of Hope

The Other Side of Hope (Toivon Tuolla Puolen) (2017)

Runtime: 100 minutes

Directed by: Aki Kaurismaki

Starring: Sherwan Haji, Sakari Kuosmanen, Kaija Pakarinen, Tuomari Nurmio, Abdi Jama

From: Several different Finnish & German companies

Rockabilly music and Checker Marathons are popular in Finland?

Recently on TCM during their late Sunday night showing of two foreign films, they had a pair from famed Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki; the second film they played was The Match Factory Girl, which happens to be the only other picture from the director I’ve viewed. As I enjoyed Match when viewed a little over a year ago, might as well record this on the DVR for watching several days later.

Note that I will be discussing a film centered around a Syrian refugee seek asylum in Finland without dwelling on the impact that some European’s fear of Syrian refugees had on the continent and I definitely won’t dwell on how a passionate contentious topic in the United States is immigration, specifically Mexicans coming over “illegally.” Going into detail would cause some sort of s***storm that I want no part of. Rather, it’s me noting that for those literally around the world who will read this, and for me noting that in The Other Side of Hope, those immigrants from Syria and elsewhere were looked at favorably.

Now, Khaled unfortunately experienced both bureaucracy and racism from some while in Finland-at the same time, he wanted aid in the search for his missing sister. Yet, he unexpectedly befriends Waldemar, an aging Finnish gentleman who had an older Jean Gabin look to him; he also experienced a major change in his life-he sells his business & purchases a languishing restaurant. Note that these two plotlines do not intersect until the second half. Before that, Khaled befriends an Iraqi refugee and we see Waldemar adjust to the wacky employees he is now in charge of.

There is droll humor, pastel interiors and plenty of music; I’m led to believe those are all Kaurismaki trademarks. A rockabilly song was sung in English; that caught me off-guard. So did seeing Waldemar drive a late 60’s Checker Marathon—the consumer version rather than the taxi version that was ubiquitous in NYC for decades. Anyhow, the story is basic in nature yet was told and presented in a compelling way where I cared about the protagonists & hoped Khaled would find his sibling. More than once in 2024, I’ve proclaimed that modern movies w/o cynicism is especially appreciated now.

In the future, I’ll experience more of the director’s work.