38/40
Her joy is short-lived, as her health deteriorates rapidly
Chronology
Lissy rejoices at the deterioration of her husband Gerd’s situation at home. Even Leo Tolstoy knew that every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. This is also clear to German director Matthias GLASNER, who was awarded the Silver Bear at the BERLINALE 2024 for his new film DYING. But he can add the northern German Protestant variant to the subject, which deepens the family’s melancholy even more. Lissy Lunies (Corinna HARFOUCH) and her husband Gerd (Hans Uwe BAUER) live in a small town in northern Germany and are already suffering from old age.
Accepting help is difficult for both of them
Their two children live far apart and are struggling with their own problems. Son Tom (Lars EIDINGER) lives in Berlin and has some success as a conductor, but is hopelessly entangled in private quarrels. Daughter Ellen (Lilith STANGENBERG) lives in Hamburg and is so devoted to the alcoholic lifestyle that after a night spent on alcohol she wakes up in Latvia. It’s true! Both of them confront their parents in different ways.
impotence and their own shortcomings
The fact that the film does not get boring for three hours is determined by the fantastic cast, which also stars Anna BEDERKE, Robert GWISDEK, Saerom PARK, Saskia ROSENDAHL and Ronald ZEHRFELD. German actors Corinna HARFOUCH (nominated for the EUROPEAN FILM AWARD 1989 for TREFFEN IN TRAVERS) and Hans Uwe BAUER were honored with the GERMAN FILM AWARD of the year 2024 for their great roles. The coffee table duel between HARFOUCH and EIDINGER is one of the most impressive things to have been seen in German cinema in recent years. The Lunies family is unhappy in its own way. A melancholic film from the German-speaking world!
Yes and no
Haven’t we seen enough of this? Of course, as a cinephile you ask yourself whether this is typically German (or at least North German) or whether it would be possible in other cultures. However, Matthias GLASNER aims very high and takes his cues from such great film stars as Ingmar BERGMAN and Federico FELLINI. After all, it is not without reason that Tom Lunies prefers to watch the four-hour TV version of FANNY OH ALEXANDER (1983) on Christmas Eve. And the character played by Robert GWISDEK (in real life HARFOUCH’s son) reminds me at least of Steiner played by Alain CUNY in LA DOLCE VITA (1959).
;cup of tea
Of course, depressing German cinema is not for everyone… But the way this story is so close to reality makes a special impression that you should definitely expose yourself to. I highly recommend it!