Jonathan

Watching the film I was very confused for a long time why this was running in the Teddy section of the Berlinale. The closest the first half hour came to the theme was to display a borderline incestuous relationship between the father and his son. But then again, Jonathan also looked at nudes of his mother and threw himself on top of his aunt, so that's that. The acting was beneath contempt - stiff and wooden. Not for a second did I believe any of the characters to be real, throughout the film I could see the actors attempting to act. The lines were the biggest problem - both the script in itself as well as the delivery of it. It felt so artificial I couldn't help but laugh at certain scenes that were intended to be touching. The film is named after the "main character", yet he is the least thought out character of them all and therefore the least interesting.

Slow moving, beautiful and touching. It may not be for everyone, but I enjoyed this film.

For the simple story. for use of details. for the slow pace. for the sensuality and for the fight against past. for the discover of life by Jonathan, interpreted in decent manner by Jannis Niewohner. sure, it is not an original story. but one who could be touching because, in smart way, discover different perspectives about family life,sufferance and youth, giving a wise portrait of pain and last refuge, about desire and love, about a meet who resurrect hidden events, the confusion and angry and vulnerability of a young man for who reality knows profound changes. a farm and a family. and the return of a familiar stranger.and the choice as foundation of own life.

I read the other reviews before watching the film. It was a bit slow, but it was touching. The relationship between the father and son was heartbreaking. My father died before I could get a chance to REALLY know him. This movie took me there. The countryside was gorgeous and well-shot. I only wish there was more extrapolation concerning the aunt. A decent film though.

There was a gay themed American movie dealing with terminal cancer, but in that movie, there wasn't the overwhelming sadness of dealing with the death of a loved one. Instead, death was portrayed as natural and almost besides the point. Here the audience is slammed repeatedly with the dire consequences of being mortal and getting terminal skin cancer. The gay subplot and dark family secrets become almost irrelevant. The scene where the central, dying character had one final orgasm with his long absent partner in a hospital bed seemed totally contrived and unreal. The writer seemed to be saying that sex and love are the same. To equate those two subjects close to the moment of agonizing death seemed vulgar. Acting and production values were good; hence the 6 rating.