I'm not sure I should put comedy in quotes because it is a funny film - or at least half of it is. For the most part the side of the film that deals with the restaurateur is a deadpan, absurdist comedy. The side dealing with the refugee is less so, at times it going to fairly dark places with the reaction the refugee experiences from the less-enlightened members of Finnish society.
It's a film that treats its subject matter with the respect that it deserves. It's also hugely entertaining when it really kicks into gear - although it does take a while before it raises more than the occasional chuckle.
The area the film lacked most for me though was that I didn't care enough about the characters. The style of storytelling created a certain amount of emotional distance - in some cases quite appropriately - but it meant that while I could feel a certain amount of injustice on behalf of the refugee character, ultimately the story didn't quite cross the empathy barrier.
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