14/38

His joy is temporary as his health is rapidly declining

Narrative

Lissy rejoices at her husband Gerd’s decay in the house. Even Leo Tolstoy knew that every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. This also applies to German director Matthias GLASNER, who received the Silver Bear at BERLINALE 2024 for his new film DYING. But he can add a North German Protestant twist to the theme, further adding to the family’s melancholy. Lissy Lunies (Corinna HARFOUCH) and her husband Gerd (Hans Uwe BAUER) live in a small town in northern Germany and are already seriously suffering from old age.

Receiving help is difficult for both

Their two children live far away, and their own problems are taking a toll. The son Tom (Lars EIDINGER) lives in Berlin and is somewhat successful as a conductor, but is hopelessly embroiled in private disputes. His daughter Ellen (Lilith STANGENBERG) lives in Hamburg and lives with alcohol so much that she wakes up in Latvia after drinking. it’s true! Both face their parents’ weakness and their own lack in different ways.

Haven’t we seen enough already?

If the film doesn’t get boring during the three-hour screening, it’s because of the fantastic cast, which also includes Anna BEDERKE, Robert GWISDEK, Saerom PARK, Saskia ROSENDAHL and Ronald ZEHRFELD. German Actresses Corinna HARFOUCH (nominated for EUROPEAN FILM AWARD 1989 for TREFFEN IN TRAVERS) and Hans Uwe BAUER received the 2024 German Film Award for their outstanding performances. The coffee table show between HARFOUCH and EIDINGER is one of the most impressive things we have seen in German cinema in recent years. The Lunies family is unhappy in its own way. A melancholic film from the German-speaking world!

Yes and no

As a viewer of the film, one naturally wonders if this is typical German (or at least North German) or if it would be possible in other cultures. But Matthias GLASNER aims high and has been inspired by big names in cinema such as Ingmar BERGMAN and Federico FELLINI. It’s not for nothing that Tom Lunies preferred to watch the four-hour TV version of FANNY OCH ALEXANDER (1983) on Christmas Eve. And the character played by Robert GWISDEK (son of HARFOUCH in real life) reminds me at least of Steiner played by Alain CUNY in LA DOLCE VITA (1959). Of course, the depressing German film is not to everyone’s taste.

But the way the story is so close to reality is a very special effect that you definitely need to expose yourself to

Definitely recommended!