There’s an interesting connection between Finland and Japan, despite their distance from one another. Having lived in Finland for several years, I’ve come to think of Finns as the “Japanese of Europe,” due to a culture that feels unusual compared to most of Western society—a reserved, homogenous place that can be hard for outsiders to grasp. In Japan, Finnish products like Ittala and Marimekko designs, along with the Moomins children’s books, have become very popular. The film *KAMOME DINER* explores this relationship by presenting Japanese women in Helsinki to audiences in Japan and elsewhere, while also touching on ideas that could resonate with viewers in Finland. This is director Naoko Ogigami's adaptation of a novel by Yôko Mure. The movie begins by introducing Sachie (Satomi Kobayashi), who has unexpectedly decided to relocate from Japan to Finland and start a simple restaurant. Her choice to serve rice balls—a Japanese dish largely unknown outside of Japan—instead of more common options like sushi or tempura only adds to the oddness of the situation. After a month, she finally gets her first customer, but he’s just a local fan of Japanese culture (Jarkko Niemi) who, following tradition, receives his coffee for free every day as the very first patron and never brings anyone with him. When Sachie meets Midori (Hairi Katagiri), another Japanese woman who seems lost in Finland, she offers her a job at the diner. They are an unlikely pair; Sachie is small and self-assured, while Midori is unusually tall and shy. Despite this, they gradually turn their restaurant into a success as they also learn about Finnish society. Any filmmaker tackling a story set in Finland would probably want to acknowledge Aki Kaurismäki, who is Finland’s most well-known director. The diner's design—with its simple style, pale colors, and old-fashioned decor—certainly reflects Kaurismäki’s signature aesthetic. Some of the dry humor also recalls his work, and Markku Pelota, a frequent collaborator with Kaurismäki, appears in a small role. However, this film lacks the darkness or cynicism that characterizes Kaurismäki's movies; it has a more cheerful and pleasant feel overall. As someone who lives in Helsinki and is familiar with the local culture and recognizes all of the filming locations, I found *KAMOME DINER* occasionally amusing and worthwhile. But it doesn’t seem particularly profound, and its themes about women supporting each other might mostly appeal to female viewers (Yôko Mure's books have a primarily female readership in Japan). There is also some frustration because, even though the film tries to attract a female audience, certain parts of it depend on references to Japanese culture that people from other countries won’t understand. For example, is Jarkko Niemi's character being made fun of as a stereotypical Westerner who imitates Japanese customs, or does the tension between him and Midori stem from something else?

Source on TMDB