The German Lesson (2019)
“I have so much to say, I don’t know where to start.”
Adapted from the novel with the same name by Siegfried Lenz, The German Lesson is a Coming-of-Age film characterized by a beautifully structured and impactful screenplay. The narrative’s dramatic power builds up as the story develops, and the viewer starts to realize the situation that the characters find themselves in, the high toll each has to pay, and the harsh decisions to be made.
The Story
Shortly after World War II, the youngster Siggi Jepsen (Tom Gronau) is supposed to write an essay about “The Joys of Duty” in the reformatory school. When he hands in a blank sheet of paper, he is forced to do the job in his cell. Using flashback as a narrative tool, the filmmakers take us back to the time of Siggi’s childhood when the eleven-year-old boy (Levi Eisenblätter) is suffering from a strict and authoritarian upbringing at the hands of his father Jens Ole (Ulrich Noethen).
The German Lesson is a well-crafted period piece that successfully portrays Germany’s spirit near the end of the Second World War by focusing on a small village’s society. Its production design, combined with capable cinematography, dramatically enhances the scenes’ impact and the film’s overall atmosphere.
Visual Style
Since paintings and art are essential to the plot, the photographic composition in many of the scenes is creative and artistic. Germany’s North Sea coast is skillfully used both as background and as a character of its own. Panoramic views of vast landscapes are juxtaposed with the restricted, confined spaces of Siggi’s family house. As a whole, the settings in which the film is shot and its stylized locations pose melancholic qualities and highlight the reality and shape of the movie’s overall emotional atmosphere.
The screen duration of The German Lesson exceeds two hours. Yet, every minute is filled with meaning and insight into the characters and their life stories.
A Coming-of-Age Masterpiece
Yet, the story would not have been as compelling if it were not for the powerful acting performances delivered by the entire cast. The film is an excellent example of ensemble casting, with each character complementing the other. Siggi’s personality is greatly affected and influenced by his family and the social environment that surrounds him. He is too young to participate actively in any of the dramas that adults involve themselves with, but the fact that he is present shapes his personality significantly. As a result, Siggi’s character arc and inner struggles become a driving element of the story, turning the film into a Coming-of-Age masterpiece.
There are at least two heart-wrenching scenes — one involving the young protagonist and another his older brother. By the time of their occurrences, the psychological tension in both the characters and the viewer’s mind results in a vigorous reaction that only the best dramas manage to evoke (the 2003 drama Song for a Raggy Boy is one of the few other films that achieves the same level of emotional attachment).
The only flawed part of the narrative is the ending, as the motivation behind the character’s actions that got him into the youth reformatory in the first place are vague and wildly open for interpretation. Whereas I was able to justify his actions, I found myself wishing that something in the story could have helped in that respect – something I missed in both my initial and subsequent viewing of the film.
A Thought-provoking Film
The German Lesson is a thought-provoking film about war with little to no war scenes. It’s about ideologies and beliefs that intertwine and clash with each other. If one is right, are the rest wrong? Are duty and honour more important than morals, emotions, and compassion? Those are just some of the themes explored in a narrative that encourages reflection and won’t leave anyone indifferent.
The German Lesson Trailer
Due to the excellent cinematography, acting performances and overall storytelling of this film, The German Lesson is the best Coming-of-Age film I have seen this year. It had a significant impact on me, and I can’t recommend it highly enough for the wholesome cinematic experience it delivers.
Celed (2019)
Set in present-day Romania, the short Film Minion (original title: Celed) offers a glimpse into the life of a seven-year-old Romanian boy given as a helper to a shepherd in exchange for a little bit of food and animal produce.
On his first day of work, the boy loses a sheep and endures the hefty consequences of not being careful enough.
The film is beautifully shot, with the filmmakers taking full advantage of available natural lighting during the golden hour. This results in a gentle glow to the character’s facial features of the film’s young protagonist, which, in turn, highlights his innocence. While the story told in the film provides just a momentary glimpse into the protagonist’s life experience, the audience does not miss its significance. The coming-of-Age motif of the film is fully realized.
The expressive emotions displayed by the Razvan Timus in the role of a nameless boy destined to endure the harsh trials of life at the tender age of seven results in a palpable tension enchanting the narrative by intensifying its emotional impact.
Celed could easily be expanded into a full feature resulting in a movie of a similar nature to the Italian film The Story of Cino – The Child Who Crossed the Mountain (2013), but this would not necessarily make its story more effective.
The film addresses the issue of child labor in a harsh yet impactful manner.
[imdb]https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8896392/reference[/imdb]
Microbe and Gasoline (2015)
“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one.”
– C.S. Lewis
Daniel and Theo (Ange Dargent and Theophile Baquet) are both misfits at their school.
Nicknamed Microbe & Gasoline – one for his short stature and youthful appearance and the other with hands always dirty with engine oil — the boys become friends and decide to run away from the daily routine by embarking on a tour of France with a curious vehicle they have built themselves out of a bed frame, tires and a lawnmower motor — all picked up at the junkyard.
As such, the bizarre self-built vehicle is banned from using the roads, so the boys create an intriguing camouflage.
Microbe & Gasoline is first and foremost a Coming-of-Age film, although some similarities with other films in the genre (The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet, Motorama, North Sea Is Dead Sea) could categorize it as a road-film as well. As the two boys’ adventure turns out to be one of self-discovery, the road can be considered a metaphor for adolescence. With healthy doses of nostalgia, humor, teenage awkwardness, and budding sexuality – this French film is an atypical yet wholesome portrayal of the rite-of-passage we all go through.
The original storyline of Microbe & Gasoline (much like Ursula Meier`s 2009 masterpiece Home) is refreshingly imaginative. It is simple and easy to follow, but it focuses on some big themes – individuality, friendship, and Coming-of-Age.
Both of the title protagonists are newcomers to the cinema. Ange Dargent and Theophile Baquet have undeniable chemistry and deliver natural performances resulting in dynamic characters. Daniel is an introvert, while Theo is an extrovert, which results in intriguing interactions. Each character seems to possess a quality that completes the other. Characterization in this film is done predominantly via the conversations between the two boys. This dialogue is filled with life hacks and pearls of wisdom regardless of the topic discussed (life, uniqueness of people, girls, love, or even masturbation).
It is easy to identify with either Daniel or Theo as we have all experienced one or many of their tribulations and adventures on the way to adulthood. It’s a process unavoidably accompanied by a sense of tender melancholy as sometimes in life, we lose more than our innocence. That justifies the film’s touching finale, which puts a realistic yet harsh ending to one great adventure.
[imdb]https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3882000/reference[/imdb]
Microbe & Gasoline Trailer
Summer Rebels (2020)
Featuring a simple, lighthearted story, the 2020 film Summer Rebels has all the right ingredients to deliver an enjoyable experience in front of the screen. Curiously enough, the straightforwardness of the plot is what wins the viewer over.
It’s a story revolving around eleven-year-old Jonas (Elias Vyskocil) and his adventures during an unusual summer vacation. The boy is used to spending his holidays in Slovakia, with his father and grandfather, enjoying rafting and fishing in the local river.
But everything changed when his father died. The family moves to Germany, and Jonas’s mother is not enthusiastic about letting her son spend a Slovakian vacation. Determined to enjoy the summer, the boy rebels and runs away from home, catching a train to his beloved grandad. Upon arrival, however, Jonas finds that things have also changed there.
An exceptional casting
Much of the film’s appeal is due to its exceptional casting. Elias Vyskocil, as Jonas, is present in just about every scene. His cheeky expressions (often emphasized with long close-up shots), boyish smirks, and ability to portray a wide range of emotions significantly boost his character’s sympathy factor. His sidekick Alex, a tomboyish girl, played by Liana Pavlikova, is equally talented. While her role is a supporting one, the interaction between the two is a joy to watch. That interaction establishes friendship as one of the prominent motifs of the narrative.
The musical score
The musical score is another strong point of the film as it sets a real brisk and fun tone with a unique selection of songs that have lyrics matching the events on-screen (mainly in English and German).
With its first-rate cinematography characterized by vivid colors, great framing, and modern editing techniques, the filmmakers have captured the essence of childhood and summer adventures.
An easy-going children’s film
Summer Rebels is essentially an easy-going children’s film, without much drama or manipulative emotions tied to its story. Per se, a few things could have been better explored – such as a potential romance (as first-love is so frequently addressed in Coming-of-Age cinema) or the relationship between Jonas and his late father. Yet it is also possible that the film manages to keep the lightness of its narrative precisely because the story remains vague — just a simple but heartwarming summer adventure.
Trailer for Summer Rebels (2020)
