The storytelling is not as heavy as the "refugee" theme has always been.
The film has two protagonists, Finnish "old native" Vikstone, and Khalid, who has just escaped from the war-torn land, one is a European boss-style character, and the other is a Syrian refugee from "the edge of the world". In a movie about small people, among a bunch of ordinary people, many characters in the movie shine, especially the two protagonists.
Vikstone, an ordinary Finnish old man whose marriage failed (I didn't read the first half, I learned from the Internet introduction), lived a more decent life than any "English gentleman". Suits and shoes go in and out of all kinds of places, and deal with all kinds of people like a duck to water. He was chasing something, and seemed to be open to everything. Dumped a restaurant with no future, only the beer was doing well. He seems to know that he has been cheated, but he still has an optimistic attitude, like running a five-star hotel, running his own restaurant, and even when he was thinking about what to do to make money, he listened to the obviously unreliable "doorman" and started sushi. That scene was a terrific "comedy".
Vikstone didn't blame anyone for the failure of the sushi business, he drank a drink by himself, and the next day
Especially when Vikstone is "witty" with sake and (stinks) pickled herring to deal with Japanese tourists, as a viewer, you'll absolutely fall in love with such a quirky and charming "old man." That's right, under his "gangster boss" appearance, he has a sophisticated but kind heart. You can't deny that he has an extraordinary passion for life that many young people don't have.
Khalid's life was even heavier. He just wants to find the "only" sister and start a new life with her. As a refugee who fled to Europe, he didn't know all the rules here (West, Europe). At first, he could only wait for his own destiny in the so-called "hospital". He was honest and sincere in the face of the immigration officer's repeated inquiries. But in the end, facing the "sentence" of the police station, he couldn't even say a word of rebuttal, and he could only see the anger overflowing in his eyes. In front of the government, he did not receive any "humane" treatment - he did not commit a crime, but he was interrogated and guarded like a prisoner. The government even thinks that - your country and your situation are not bad, you are not "qualified" to apply for asylum.
Khalid's silent anger
Perhaps the most tragic creation of mankind is war and the hatred it brings. Innocent civilians are involved, passively falling into the most ruthless torrent in history.
But Khalid never gave up hope, perhaps largely because of his concern for his sister, or perhaps being ruthlessly repatriated was no longer the most tragic thing he had ever experienced.
There is always hope in life.
What the government did not get, the ordinary Finnish people got. Of course, good and bad, good and evil go hand in hand. The road after that is not the road to the dawn. Will continue to struggle, continue to be as vulnerable as ants, continue to carry hope, and continue to endure the predicament of despair.
When I saw this photo, I had mixed tastes
The flip side of hope is that life has never been easy. But everyone has their own choices.
A nostalgic ballad
PS. There are many folk and rock songs interspersed in the film, and the music seems to be telling something. But my level is limited, everyone can experience it when watching the movie.
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