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Cambridge Film Festival 2003: UK Premiere
The official opening film, and my second of this opening day. As with the first film I saw (Minimal Stories) this is hugely enjoyable. An East German mother falls into a coma before the wall comes down. When she finally wakes up in a post-communist world, her son contrives to keep what has happened from her because the shock may kill her. The son's elaborate concealment plans are very funny, as is the constant mocking of both the old communist past, and some of the new found Western freedoms. It's not all played for laughs, though, with an early riot scene being particularly shocking and effective. I also found that the subplot of the missing father was handled sensitively. One brief moment of recognition later in the film was, for me, one of the best moments in the film; along with the penultimate scenes with the mother and son (a beautiful mixture of laughter and tears). I can see why this film has become "the most successful German productions ever". It is both accessible to audiences, and probably also articulates many of the complex feelings Germans have about the recent past. I'm sure that such a funny and insightful film will also resonate with audiences around the world.
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