I was admittedly skeptical - figuring yet another typical German dramatic comedy (and 'German' and 'funny' are two words that don't mix well...) but WOW it was MUCH better than I thought.
The political background remains in the background. This film sets itself historically into a tumultuous time in Germany - Especially East Germany - but the film allows politics to remain on the sidelines. This film is NOT about politics. This film is about love and respect. The love is a love of a son for his mother. A love and respect so deep that he tries to hide the fact that the wall fell, and Germany reunited, from her! Not exactly an easy feat - and he and his aspiring filmmaker friend cleverly fake telecasts (and they are INCREDIBLY clever and funny) to explain some of the 'anomalies' his mother encounters.
This film also explores the relationship between East and West; uses an intensely amusing sense of irony to show a form of reverse capitalism - from the cravings of East German pickles and the hunt for East German groceries, to the story Alex concocts about West German refugees, oppressed under capitalism, fleeing the West and seeking refuge in the comfortable communist East.
Finally, the film explores the growing relationship between Alex and Lara, as they each try to keep the relationship, and each other, in perspective. While Alex would do ANYTHING to protect his mother from harm, Lara is the glue that hold his sanity together,
A WONDERFUL film, I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone. 8/10.
The political background remains in the background. This film sets itself historically into a tumultuous time in Germany - Especially East Germany - but the film allows politics to remain on the sidelines. This film is NOT about politics. This film is about love and respect. The love is a love of a son for his mother. A love and respect so deep that he tries to hide the fact that the wall fell, and Germany reunited, from her! Not exactly an easy feat - and he and his aspiring filmmaker friend cleverly fake telecasts (and they are INCREDIBLY clever and funny) to explain some of the 'anomalies' his mother encounters.
This film also explores the relationship between East and West; uses an intensely amusing sense of irony to show a form of reverse capitalism - from the cravings of East German pickles and the hunt for East German groceries, to the story Alex concocts about West German refugees, oppressed under capitalism, fleeing the West and seeking refuge in the comfortable communist East.
Finally, the film explores the growing relationship between Alex and Lara, as they each try to keep the relationship, and each other, in perspective. While Alex would do ANYTHING to protect his mother from harm, Lara is the glue that hold his sanity together,
A WONDERFUL film, I HIGHLY recommend it to everyone. 8/10.