30/10
Her joy is temporary as her health is rapidly deteriorating
Story
Lissy is pleased with how her husband Gerd has deteriorated at home. Even Leo Tolstoy knew that every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. This is also clear to the German film director Matthias GLASNER, who in 2024 was awarded the Silver Bear at the BERLIN for his new film “DYING”. However, he is able to give the theme a North German Protestant touch that adds to the family melancholy of Lissa Lunies (Corina HARFOUCH) and her husband Gerd (Hans Uwe BAUER) living in a small town in Northern Germany and already deeply rooted.
afflicted with old age
. Both have a hard time accepting help. Their two children live far away and are deeply affected by their own problems. Son Tom (Lars EIDINGER) lives in Berlin and is somewhat successful as a conductor, but hopelessly embroiled in private disputes.
Daughter Ellen (Lilith STANGENBERG) lives in Hamburg and is so committed to an alcohol-soaked lifestyle that she wakes up in Latvia after a night of drinking
It’s true! They both deal with their parents in different ways' The fact that the film is not boring during its three-hour duration is due to the fantastic cast, which also includes Anna BEDERKE, Robert GWISDEK, Saerom PARK, Saskia ROSENDAHL and Ronald ZEHRFELD. German actors Corinna HARFOUCH (nominated for the EUROPEAN FILM AWARD 1989 for the film TREFFEN IN TRAVERS) and Hans Uwe BAUER were awarded the GERMANY 2024 film award for outstanding acting. The meeting between HARFOUCH and EIDINGER at the coffee table is one of the most impressive things to be seen in German cinema in recent years.
yes and no
The Luni family is unhappy in its own way A melancholic film from the German-speaking world! Haven’t we seen enough of that already? Of course, as a moviegoer you wonder if this is typical German (or at least North German) or if it would be possible in other cultures. However, Matthias GLASNER aims very high and is based on film giants such as Ingmar BERGMAN and Federico FELLINI.
We definitely recommend!
It’s not for nothing that Tomáš Lunies prefers to watch the four-hour television version of FANNY OCH ALEXANDER (1983) on Christmas Eve. And the character played by Robert GWISDEK (son of HARFOUCH in real life) at least reminds me of Steiner played by Alain CUNY in LA DOLCE VITA (1959). Of course, oppressive German cinema is not everyone’s cup of tea. However, the way the story is so close to reality has a very special effect that you should definitely discover.