The Ordinaries

This is a great setting, unique, reflexive, layered and full of potential. Unfortunately, the scenario which unfolds therein is irremediably generic: your average YA coming of age, dealing with the same ultra-stereotypical insecurities, family issues and non-descript political awakening as hundreds of other movies released this year.

The production is alert and ambitious, probably a little too much (the outtakes would have deserved more grit). The metalepsis at the core of the setting interestingly (and innovatively) includes the sound-design, although the end result is mostly forgettable. The acting is rather uneven, although an indulgent spectator will find this fitting with the story. All in all the only real problem are the scenario and script, which are hopelessly bland and lacking wit.

YA is a German sickness, and no one seems to care. I suspect those days you probably can't get a film funded unless it stars an awkward teen in the main role, and strings some grand but empty gestures at 'empathy' and 'solidarity'. Mind you, I am largely in agreement with those sentiments, but their completely generic treatment in commercial TV (mis)use them rather than serve them. And what we end up with, instead of being Snowpiercer-meet-Charlie Kaufmann, is yet another Harry Potter-meet-1984.

I was initially quite sceptical about this. It seemed quite artificial to pigeon-hole people into cinematic equivalents of socio-economic groupings. Actually, though, once I got my head around it, it worked quite well at providing an observational template for a class system that resonated rather better than I was expecting. It all centres around "Paula" (Fine Sendel). Now she is merely an unremarkable looking "supporting character" but that is so much better than being just about everyone else in this drama and what's next for her could lead to her elevation to "lead". If only she can learn to generate emotional music - and then the sky's the limit. She must train, strive and practice if she is to attain this goal - but there is a distraction. Her mother has repeatedly told her that her father was in that elite grouping, but a trip to the archives cannot find any trace of him. It's her search for evidence that drives her into the clutches of the underworld of the "out-takes" and those other unsavoury unmentionables who work behind the camera. Can she discover the truth before her world and her studies cave in on her? There is no doubting that this is contrived, and that at times that stretches the plausibility - but for the most part this is still quite a compelling, occasionally quite funny, look at human nature, and at what people might do to protect themselves, their families, reputations, prospects - you name it, really. It also takes the story - from the perspective of this ambitious but honest young woman - and asks us questions about what we might do in similar situations; or, indeed, what we have probably already done to get on and retain and/or embellish what we've achieved. I didn't love Fabian Zeidler's score but some characterful supporting roles - especially from her mother "Elisa" (Jule Böwe) and a tightly knit cast make this well worth a watch. It gives the cutting room floor an whole new meaning.

A wacky idea dealing with an actual cast system - but in movieland, where your role in a film is your status in life, come be it a background extra with no dialogue (in life you don't have much to say and live in housing projects) to being an outcast living in poverty outskirts because you became an outtake (cut from the film, or as they use to say in the industry during the old days - ending up on the editing room floor), or just being that supporting character that has a mediocre life compared to the main character's luxurious lifestyle. This is a movie with a wonderful surreal story that gets a little messy, but still has plenty to say about society's structure, and who controls the narrative...

Although the movie feels fresh at first, the tone is very depressive, any "comedy" moments are forced, and the singing becomes too much to handle. I think the movie lacks life, and that the characters feel part a Black Mirror episode. I felt it was made for hipster-intellectuals and therefore couldn't connect with the movie. Highlights: great photography. The only character that really captivated me was Henning Peker as housemaid.

It definitely feels refreshing for a German movie, but lacks everything else. Also I'd definitely not consider it a comedy, as any attempts of humor are at most "awkward".

WOW!!! This surprise film (sneak preview) by Sophie LINNENBAUM is a huge announcement from German-speaking cinema. There hasn't been such an original world creation there for a long time!

A young supporting character prepares for his final exam as the main character. The world is strictly hierarchically divided into main characters, secondary characters and the cut outtakes. But it gets even worse: Some figures are black and white, are already fading or are no longer good enough for digitalization. A teenager who grew up fatherless has to find his way around!

Great tricks, wonderful acting, wonderful singing! Denise MBAYE and Pasquale ALEARDI as the brightly colored musical model couple are wonderfully annoying. Jule BÖWE shines as the pale supporting character's mother who can only recite the same sentences. And we will hopefully see the young discoveries Fine SENDEL, Noah TINWA and Sira FAAL often. This collaboration between the BABELSBERG film university and the small ZDF television play (Das kleine Fernsehspiel) is definitely to be seen in the multiplexes of this republic!!!

German cinema can be so fantastic!!!