Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Sameir Ali Marcel Marx is an old man making his day to day living by shoe polishing. He lives with his wife. He cannot make a living out this job, he cannot make both ends meet. Though his economic condition was pathetic, the essence of human feelings was present in him. He has to send his wife to the hospital to cure her illness. She doesn't want him to know that there was no cure for the disease. Meanwhile, a patrolling officer hear some sound in the container that was due in shipment. The officers open the container and finds illegal African immigrants trying to escape to London. Only a boy escapes from them. As a course of fate, he gets united with Marx. Marx tries his best to send him to London, so that the boy can unite with his mother. Marx spends all his savings, in addition, he earns more money from other ways... just to send the boy to London. The climax reminds me of the evergreen classic "Casablanca".Aki Kaurismäki is one of the favorite names among the real film lovers. His films are really different from others. He has his own path of film making. This movie has a lot of still frames, the camera rarely moves, yet the frames are amazing and stunning. The handling of lighting is remarkable. I think reference to the golden films of the 60's. Set design and careful selection of the colors are all lessons for aspiring film makers and students. There a philosophy in each frame.If you are a real film lover, or a film student, this is a must watch movie.#KiduMovie

ao590 This was one of the most visually stunning films I've ever seen. You could pause very nearly every shot and use it as screensaver or make a large print of it; that's how beautiful and well thought out they are. Aki Kaurismäki evokes a sense of times past. He embraces the 'unreality' of his film, and the genre as a whole, and plays it up with great wit and art. As mentioned by previous reviews, he combines tragedy and comedy seamlessly into an extremely enjoyable and engaging film that doesn't try to pass itself off as life and as such engages on much deeper levels than its straightforward message or story would perhaps imply.There are so many small details and well-thought out quirks here that keep your attention that it easily accommodates for my internet fried attention span, even while the director chooses not to openly deal with the electronic world. It's a decision indicative of the thoughtful and unique approach to the film; it aids both the storyline and the viewer's experience immensely. I was grateful and relieved to be taken away into a simpler and more honest world; both in the film's outward image, and within the story's universe. Its worth emphasising; this film doesn't try to masquerade as real life and as such allows for a much purer enjoyment. You don't have to worry about checking your expectations once the end credits roll.Being beautifully shot may not have kept my attention for an hour and half, but the storyline and Kaurismäki's wit certainly did.

gudpaljoey-677-715384 Le Havre was a joy to watch for me. When I thought about why I liked it so much, I concluded that it returned me to so many of the joyful moments of pictures of the past, riding the cliché's but at the same time hiding them. As a homage to films past, the film maker never is obvious, but builds his film as if all of the happy moments of past films, never happened. A child being pursued by evil forces. A grandpa like figure coming to the rescue. A medical miracle. A show put on to raise needed funds with an incomprehensible rock star, not a Mickey Rooney to produce a barn raising musical. A neighborhood coming together to help save a child from deportation. The film maker gives it all to a jaundiced post modern idea of what film making should be, and people who never want to go home. The movie is technically brilliant, color and photography that show a shabby French port as the land of Oz. Actors who know how to make you love their characters. A delight. See it.

theworldmoviejournal Protagonist is Marcel Marx, A Shoeshiner, who makes a peaceful living with his wife Arletty and a dog Laika in city of Le Havre. He incidentally meets an African boy, Idrissa, who is being sought by French authorities as illegal immigrant. Marcel opens his doors to the boy and helps him make his way to join his mother across the water in London.Despite the complication of Arletty's terminal illness, about which Marcel is not aware, the snooping of grim-faced inspector Monet, and the machinations of the neighborhood snitch, with the help of neighbors and friends that Marcel was deeply in debt to forgive everything for Idrissa, Marcel tries to help the boy.Kudos to Aki Kaurismäki, the director of Le Havre, for his directorial talent he has exhibited in this movie. No loose ends, characterization and usage of every character is excellent and has kept it very simple by all means.Once in while you get to watch such an optimistic film that shows love, respect and tolerance for one another in a very simple and practical manner.Follow Us @ : https://www.facebook.com/theworldmoviejournalReviews @ : http://theworldmoviejournal.wordpress.com/