A Slow Burner

Rating: 8/10 (22 December 2013)

About half-an-hour into the movie I thought I was in for a bit of a rough ride, you know... that force-yourself-to-the-end type of film. Fortunately, the movie got better and more intriguing as it progressed, turning out to be a very rewarding piece of entertainment.
Luckily, I managed to bypass my initial negative preconceptions, such as the German language, having subtitles and no recognisable actors, deciding to give the film a go based on my very positive experiences of foreign language films this year, in the place of the usual insult to your intelligence, spoon-fed Hollywood fodder.
It's a rewarding film that requires a certain amount of perseverance at the start. It's educational, thought provoking, visually intriguing but not beautiful, almost beleaguering your senses with the grimy weather, the drab clothes worn by practically all, the use of greys and browns for furnishings, the austere colour palette, the depressing standard of the cars and vans, and virtually nothing joyous or warm to look at. We're instead reliant on our involvement with the characters and their insights and motives for doing what they do.
A film that seems to adapt and improvise as it goes along, the characters feeling their way through events as well, entering uncharted waters and discovering the need to swim. Yet again, film that establishes the value of historical diversity that Germany has to offer from the 20th century. Only, the language/subtitle thing may put a few people off from the start, which is a shame if you're young and looking for action-satisfaction.