Kaurismäki presents us with vision of nowadays Europe as a hipsters’ paradise (or hallucination). Mise-en-scène is filled with all things vintage, fetishistically evoking some undefined bygone era, when people used to be able to get united in a single act for a good cause (echo of socialism?). None of the props seems to be made in China and none of the characters’ professions is a plausible source of income, as though defying laws of contemporary job market. Nothing’s new in the world of an elderly loving couple Marcel and Arletty.

Placed against this obsolete backdrop, the only young character of Idrissa, brings contrasting quality of newness.

Simply nostalgia? Or a statement?