Amazing film. One of Fassbinder's greatest.
I love how simple and short this film is. it has a very limited cast of characters. Basically one location. And also one conflict, which is way too complicated and entangled to be solved.
It's about this couple that has been conflicted by the illness of their child, who, because of that started to despise them, so she orchestrates this scenario where she essentially does her best to emotionally cripple them the best she can. All common themes in Fassbinder's vocabulary. The exploitation of feeling. The class war in the context of relationships. Power relations. The patriarchal oppression.
But the thing that gets me the most about this is how direct it is. It has absolutely no mercy. It curses in any way it can the idea of monogamy and matrimony ( evidenced by the text in the last shot of the film). I love how Fassbinder used some of his films as ways to vent about his failed relationships and all of the harm he's done to others, and that, in this film specifically is very clear to me.
I also love the camera work by Michael Ballhaus who is great as expected. The way that the camera follows the climate of the film and essentially goes nuts in the end when all of the characters are tense and stressed out is very amusing and expressive. Also the whole entirely of the last 30 or so minutes are absolutely astounding. I have watched this film 3 times already and i still get anxious every time i see it.
Anyway, if you like Fassbinder's films you will probably like this one. If you don't then you might. And if you never watched one before i suggest maybe watching Ali Fear eats the soul or The Marriage of Maria Braun first.
It's about this couple that has been conflicted by the illness of their child, who, because of that started to despise them, so she orchestrates this scenario where she essentially does her best to emotionally cripple them the best she can. All common themes in Fassbinder's vocabulary. The exploitation of feeling. The class war in the context of relationships. Power relations. The patriarchal oppression.
But the thing that gets me the most about this is how direct it is. It has absolutely no mercy. It curses in any way it can the idea of monogamy and matrimony ( evidenced by the text in the last shot of the film). I love how Fassbinder used some of his films as ways to vent about his failed relationships and all of the harm he's done to others, and that, in this film specifically is very clear to me.
I also love the camera work by Michael Ballhaus who is great as expected. The way that the camera follows the climate of the film and essentially goes nuts in the end when all of the characters are tense and stressed out is very amusing and expressive. Also the whole entirely of the last 30 or so minutes are absolutely astounding. I have watched this film 3 times already and i still get anxious every time i see it.
Anyway, if you like Fassbinder's films you will probably like this one. If you don't then you might. And if you never watched one before i suggest maybe watching Ali Fear eats the soul or The Marriage of Maria Braun first.