Have you ever watched a movie that made you want to throw the remote at your TV? Well, "Any Day Now" (2020) might just be that film—for all the right, or maybe wrong, reasons. Directed by Hamy Ramezan and released in 2020, this Finnish drama takes us to the refugee-saturated lands of Finland, where an Iranian family grapples with the uncertainty of deportation. If you're looking for straightforward solutions or unbiased storytelling, tread carefully. The movie premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it received plenty of critical acclaim, though whether that's a merit or a flaw is up for debate.
Let's jump right into the heart of what makes "Any Day Now" such a divisive experience, starting with its agenda-driven themes. Yes, folks, we're talking about climate change, refugee crises, and assimilation debates all packed into one feature! It's the kind of movie that gets applauded by critics who've never met a border they liked. But for those of us who appreciate a little thing called sovereignty, it can feel like one long, continuous virtue signal.
The director spends an hour and twenty-two minutes coaxing tears over a family that America would probably reject. As the family moves from one Finnish refugee center to another, the emotional manipulation is palpable. Ahmad, the young son, offers a peek into the life of a teenager caught between two worlds. He’s charming, curious, and of course, he wants nothing to do but fit in. This isn't a bad thing in itself, but the filmmaker makes it abundantly clear which side of the immigration debate you're supposed to support.
Let's face it—if you've got a penchant for personal responsibility, be prepared for a gag reflex. The family is portrayed lovingly, almost saintly, making it easy to forget that there are laws that govern this sort of thing. But, hey, who needs laws when you've got 'compassion' and 'understanding' on your side?
"Any Day Now" raises questions about the asylum process, weaving a narrative that intentionally glosses over the logistical nightmare of vetting thousands of refugees. Should laws matter, or should we just make global human suffering Someone Else's Problem™? In 2020, the film certainly thought the latter, and it communicated that with heartstring-tugging cinematography and mawkish dialogue.
The performances, it must be said, are quite phenomenal. Eero Milonoff, who plays the kind-hearted Finnish teacher, earns his chops. He adds a layer of humanity not even the script could convey. But even his performance doesn’t mask the blatant appeal to emotion that courses through the film's narrative.
While "Any Day Now" wants you to believe in the purity of inter-cultural exchanges, it’s hard to overlook the glaring simplicity of its message. The film never asks whether integration is a two-way street—a complex dance of give and take. Instead, it presents a one-sided celebration that assumes everyone is delighted with this exchange. Those who raise objections are laden with subtle social stigmas.
If you've ever sat through a film that drenches itself in its own ideology, this is one more to add to that list. What it doesn’t do is challenge you intellectually. Instead, it spoon-feeds you pre-approved feelings and hopes you'll swallow them whole.
Now, you can't talk about "Any Day Now" without mentioning the critics. They loved it, of course. Critics often swoon over emotionally manipulative stories, labeling them as 'powerful' or 'transformative.' But transformative for whom? Certainly not for those of us who carry the burden of pragmatic realism. For others, it's a feel-good—or feel-something—opportunity to bask in the glow of imagined moral superiority.
Would the film's narrative work if it were set in a more politically charged country, say the United States? Imagine a state where borders matter, and laws aren't secondary to feelings. Would Ahmad's family find itself enshrined as cultural icons, or would they become political pawns? No doubt, the movie would play out differently, possibly reflecting real-world complexities rather than altruistic fantasies.
Here's the kicker: "Any Day Now" isn't inherently a bad film, but it is an instructive one. Instructive of what happens when reality takes a backseat to sentimentality. Like a warm blanket, it covers over the messiness of real-world scenarios, leaving you with a comforting—and misleading—fairy tale.
So why should you watch it? If you enjoy debating the ethics of immigration while safely ensconced in your living room, this film's for you. You'll either revel in its tenderness or find yourself counting the hypocrisies it glosses over.
Either way, "Any Day Now" is sure to get a reaction out of you—because indifference simply isn't one of its strong suits.