This movie might only work for German speaking people. Although it is visually interesting , with a lot of hand-held camera and video opticts, its story digs deep into the state of German society and ethics. Like Kracauer once interpreted the films of the Weimar republic as symbolizations of the German soul and as the
dawn of Hitler and the Third Reich, one is tempted so see "Muxmäuschenstill"
as a Portrait of Germany today. Summary: Mux is a kind of lawyer, who has an exaggerated feeling of justice and of
individual responsibility for common welfare. He walks around the streets of
Berlin and the area around, equipped with a digital camcorder for proof and a gun for self-protection, chasing people who ignore the law. It starts with fare dodgers, speed merchants, Graffiti sprayers, people who let their dog s*** on the street or students urinating in a public swimming pool. All of them have to pay money to avoid an indictment or get punished by Mux. Soon Mux spreads his
activities on more serial crimes like sexual abuse, shop lifting, armed robbery, concealment of stolen goods and so on. He also employs a personal assistant
(Gerd) and builds the "Gesellschaft für Gemeinsinnpflege" (society for nurture of common welfare), founding settlements in all big cities.
Sure we get to know his true motivation. Behaving like a blimpish and also
romantic idealist towards women, he is unable to develop a healthy sexual life. He represses his desire with his "work" and falls into a platonic relationship with a young waitress from the country. When she dismisses him in favour of a young and cool guy and he secretly watches them in a blow job scene, things fall
completely apart. Mux looses his grip over his life completely and everything ends up in disaster. In the beginning the movie is a true satire and in a way remains it, but the further the story goes on, it turn into a drama forbidding any laughter. This movie brings up a discourse on morality, the responsibility for the society, the German
"culture" of denunciation and the thin line between crime and justice. I can only hope that Marcus Mittermeier gets the international attention he deserves for this movie. A must see and therefor 10 points.
dawn of Hitler and the Third Reich, one is tempted so see "Muxmäuschenstill"
as a Portrait of Germany today. Summary: Mux is a kind of lawyer, who has an exaggerated feeling of justice and of
individual responsibility for common welfare. He walks around the streets of
Berlin and the area around, equipped with a digital camcorder for proof and a gun for self-protection, chasing people who ignore the law. It starts with fare dodgers, speed merchants, Graffiti sprayers, people who let their dog s*** on the street or students urinating in a public swimming pool. All of them have to pay money to avoid an indictment or get punished by Mux. Soon Mux spreads his
activities on more serial crimes like sexual abuse, shop lifting, armed robbery, concealment of stolen goods and so on. He also employs a personal assistant
(Gerd) and builds the "Gesellschaft für Gemeinsinnpflege" (society for nurture of common welfare), founding settlements in all big cities.
Sure we get to know his true motivation. Behaving like a blimpish and also
romantic idealist towards women, he is unable to develop a healthy sexual life. He represses his desire with his "work" and falls into a platonic relationship with a young waitress from the country. When she dismisses him in favour of a young and cool guy and he secretly watches them in a blow job scene, things fall
completely apart. Mux looses his grip over his life completely and everything ends up in disaster. In the beginning the movie is a true satire and in a way remains it, but the further the story goes on, it turn into a drama forbidding any laughter. This movie brings up a discourse on morality, the responsibility for the society, the German
"culture" of denunciation and the thin line between crime and justice. I can only hope that Marcus Mittermeier gets the international attention he deserves for this movie. A must see and therefor 10 points.