Nachtgestalten

I just thought that someone who is neither German nor living in Germany should comment on this wonderful film (which I saw as a part of this year's E.E.C. film festival in Prague). The form and content of this movie are very familiar, things that people who are fond of the cinema will have seen a thousand times and more. Life, however, hasn't changed much in a lot of particulars since humans began to walk upright, and the question for me is whether or not the director used these familiar materials to fashion characters that I cared about and a story that engaged me - I say a definite yes on both counts. This film was only 90 minutes long, but could easily have been twice that length without my noticing. This was one of the best German films I've seen in years!...

I have seen "Nachtgestalten" last week in a sneak preview and I was bored, to say the least. The idea of a movie split into episodes isn't that bad, but jumping from one set of characters to the other without any substance in between leaves behind a very shallow feeling. Three couples, three stories which have been already told a thousand times. The farmer from out of town looking for some sex and trying to help the prostitute from out of her problems. The homeless couple having the opportunity to spend some money in town. The businessman, picking up an forgotten boy at the airport an trying to get him to his friend in the city. Yeah. That's it.

I was not interested at all, how a particular thread in this "story" ended. It was all too obvious.

Writer/director Andreas Dresen has produced a nice little film with Nachtgestalten. It works on a level where Michael Haneke's Code inconnue failed miserably. The people, thrown together in a cold city where it is unwise to lift a finger to help a stranger in distress, are real and believable. Their actions are determined by the logic of their personalities and social position; watching Code inconnue you get the nauseating feeling that it is Haneke's pretentious opinion that is being forced down your throat; again and again. Dresen's stories allow for biting humor as well as moments of painful desperation; especially in my favourite story : that of the homeless couple in search of a hotelroom. Andreas Dresen is one of those new wave of young German directors who are pulling their country out of the oblivion where I for one thought they would be for a long time yet. Together with Tom Tykwer and Roland Suso Richter - to name but a few- Andreas Dresen is a director to watch. His script is fluent and well balanced; the direction never showy but to the point. It's a shame that good European films like Nachtgestalten don't get a general release in most countries while appalling creations like Code Inconnue do.

The Pope's visit throws Berlin completely out of gear.He is unaware of profound changes it will bring in the lives of certain individuals. Hanna and Victor-a homeless couple will have a tough time finding a suitable hotel for a night's stay.Patty-a juvenile prostitute will rob Joachen-a naive farmer of his money.Peschke-an inept business executive will grasp the bitter truth that not all immigrants like Angolan Feliz Kolami steal wallets upon their arrival in Germany. Nachtgestalten is an ingenious motion picture belonging to the post reunification German Cinema.Andreas Dresen earned wide critical and commercial success with his film as it came at a moment when German cinema was inundated with numerous inelegant comedies.It is a highly imaginative film in which various droll events happen in rapid succession.Nachtgestalten takes us on a wonderful tour of night spots in Berlin which average tourists would normally shun.Andreas Dresen has candidly shown sordid aspects like dirt,junk,skinheads,racism, prostitution etc.The storyline appears credible as a result of outstanding acting prowess of its characters.Michael Gwisdek is brilliant as Peschke.Nachgestalten skillfully tackles the plight of homeless people.It proves without a shadow of a doubt how difficult it is to be poor in a rich country.

I have just seen Nachtgestalten, and i think it was quite interesting,touching and surprisingly funny. It tolds the stories of three different couples during a night in Berlin. Good actors and a good skript, but there are also some needed clichés as the rain for dramatic tension and the naive farmer for comic relief. But after several years, when light comedies dominated the german cinema, it is refreshing to see it maturing. 7/10