Fallen

Michael is dead. So is Austro rap idol Falco. Falco leaves behind millions of grieving fans. In Michaels case, it comes down to four ex-girlfriends in various degrees of rage and mourning. As Nina, Brigitte, Carmen, and Nicole meet at Michael's funeral, they find they all have some unfinished business with the dead man or, more precisely, with each other. It's a promising setup, but it's going nowhere. There's simply too much nostalgia and too little character development. Also, I was confused by the fact that Barbara Albert mixes footage of varying quality and provenance (color, b/w, video) seemingly at random. So despite fine performances, especially by acclaimed theater actress Birgit Minichmayr and small-screen regular Nina Proll, I walked away with mixed feelings. If you like the idea of a thirty-something all-girl ensemble cast, check out "Schöne Frauen" instead, a much better movie with the added charm of QueenBee's wonderful soundtrack. For girls with a criminal record, rent "Bandits", and if you like them young, try Jan Peter's "Over the rainbow". If the girls should also be witches and include Sandra Bullock, I suggest "Practical Magic" or "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood". If you don't know what you like, you might even consider "Boys on the Side". Is this a full-service comment or what?