Nebenan

This was wonderful. Gradually growing tension, garnished with comic touches, and played to perfection by the two male leads.

A smooth and successful young actor is to fly from his Berlin home to Britain to audition for a superhero movie. His only frustration at that point is getting hold of the script. His taxi to the airport arrives too soon, so he sends it off and thinks to fill in time with a drink at the local bar. There he encounters another inhabitant of his block of flats. He treats their discussion with tactful reserve, as a fleeting encounter with an unimportant man. But the conversation proves quite sticky. His frustrations grow, tension deepens.

Almost the entire film takes place in the bar, giving it the feel of a stage play. And almost all the dialogue is between the two men, though there are important scenes involving his wife and the woman who owns the bar.

The backdrop is gentrification, with the two protagonists representing a clash between the old and the new. Looming over all is the shadow of the past: the Stalinist regime in Eastern Germany.

I would be happy to watch this again.

Nice storyline, great acting. If you are from Berlin you will enjoy the images. Nice job Daniel Bruhl.

This is pretty miserable, even for a dramedy, but I generally liked what it was going for, even if the execution left a bit to be desired. I kept thinking of Banshees of Inisherin at times, but maybe only because of all the drinking and because Daniel Bruhl's co-star looked a little like Brendan Gleeson.

I wonder if Bruhl had a bad experience with someone who didn't like his acting at a bar, and then made this film to imagine that interaction being pushed as far as possible. If Misery is about a creative person encountering their number #1 fan, but that fan is crazy, then Next Door is about encountering one's number #1 hater, but that hater is a bit less crazy. Also, they don't want to do physical harm, but seem willing to go to great lengths to inflict psychological torment.

The stress caused is almost funny, but it's mostly just bitter and downbeat. It's a nihilistic watch, so some of that lack of satisfaction is intended, but still, I wish it had just had something more to offer by the time it started wrapping up.

If you're after a bottle movie, this works decently enough, though. It is solidly acted and directed, and proves mostly engaging for its brief runtime. It's not quite a great film, but Next Door is solid enough. I don't regret watching it, and it's always nice to find the time to check out something offbeat and far from widely discussed.

I would describe this as a drama and the performances of every actor are brilliant. They bounce of each other and the dialogue flows. This must be the best drama created during lockdown times that I have seen. Bruhl, as ever, has done an excellent job.

I can not imagine how much time and thinking needs to go into such a movie. There is not a lot happening, besides a couple people talking. And still, you feel the tension in every frame. Plus nothing feels forced or scripted. The pacing is just on point.

I am happy that his movie ended up being as good as it is. Hope he does more in the future.