The setting in this german/turkish film is modern day Europe and the clash between the German and Turkish society. It also touches periferily on the kurdish issue. Had it not been financed by various german foundations it could almost be construed as a critique of European multiculturalism, but that slant is probably unintentional. Germans are neurotically PC.
So the film is not a political one. It focuses on the personal lives of a handful characters who try to connect with each other and make sense of their lives in an incoherent world that seems to make no sense. Storywise it is a rather weak film. It is almost funny that writer and director Fatih Akin has received several awards for his screenwriting, since the plot is vague and full of unlikely events and coincidences and lacks a proper end.
But the quality lies in the way it’s told. The film doesn’t try to push any buttons, instead it tells the story with a plain yet beautiful cinematography, in a way reminiscent of Vilmos Zsigmond’s work on Deliverance. This minimalistic, Hemingwayesque style which never degenerates into pseudo-documentary creates a very authentic nerve to the film. It makes the characters come very close to the audience; one almost feels like a voyeur. And the characters are definitely worth watching since they are very credibly constructed and performed.
So even though the story wasn’t that good I still recommend this film because of its simple, powerful beauty and its interesting characters. If you’re bored with Hollywood clichées and just as bored with pretentious art films, then you should certainly give this one a chance.
Filed under: Arts & Culture, Entertainment, Movies & TV, Politics, Society | 1 Comment
Tags: Auf der anderen Seite, Fatih Akin, The Edge of heaven
I might give it a try. Nice review.