NIMBY

NIMBY bites off more than it can chew. But I respect the attempt. This film is listed as a comedy and there are some jokes. But the subject matter is too dark and too prescient to be particularly funny.

Lesbian couple Mervi and Kata’s lives are thrown out of whack when Kata’s parents announce their intent to visit. Kata’s mother is a refugee who is now a controversial politician in Germany for her pro-immigration stance. Opting to avoid this meeting, Kata convinces Mervi that this is the time for her to finally meet Mervi’s parents instead. So, the couple heads to Mervi’s small town. Immediately, they encounter a group of anti-immigrant, straight-up Nazi protesters including Mervi’s ex, Mika. Moreover, Mervi’s parents and Mika’s parents are engaged in a four-way, poly relationship. Then, Kata’s parents track her down and show up as well. And the presence of a politically active refugee in the town sends all the Nazis into high gear.

Yeah, the rise of far-right extremism and anti-immigrant sentiments is a hard thing to make funny. NIMBY is aware, engaged and has something to say about the situation. But to me at least, this whole topic is far too depressing to be an easy place for laughs. It’s great to laugh at Nazis and make a mockery of their ideals and their belief that they’re cool and tough. But their beliefs and actions have harmed so many people and such actions are only on the rise. I can’t say I got a lot of laughter from this whole set up.

NIMBY makes the smart choice of introducing a bunch of very different characters and placing them in a limited location and high-stress situation. This is a set-up that could work for both drama and comedy. And certain moments definitely do. The problem is that the reason they’re in a limited location is because a group of Nazis trapped them in a house and are threatening to burn it down. That’s the sort of external threat that really invalidates the personal problems on display. It sucks that there’s distance and strain in the relationship between Kata and her mother. But there’s some racists right outside who are actively trying to kill you.

NIMBY is a well-shot film. Though the visuals do lend itself to a more comedic tone. The pacing and visuals do make me expect a more traditional, sillier comedy. Instead, NIMBY’s subject matter obviously makes it more a dramedy. And again, this movie does have things to say and successful dramatic moments. But the lighting and visuals don’t exactly lend themselves to some of these more dramatic moments.

NIMBY is competently made, politically passionate and has something to say. It just loses the funny in all of that. Additionally, the film is probably preaching to the choir a bit. I’m pretty sure anyone watching a movie where the leads are a cross-cultural lesbian couple are probably already pretty decided about how they feel about far-right extremism. Still, it’s nice to see some lesbians triumph over some local Nazis. NIMBY won’t change anyone’s minds on any issues but sometimes it’s just nice to see abjectly terrible people lose. So it’s got that going for it.

Overall rating: 5.3/10

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