Liegen lernen

I saw this at the 2004 Palm Springs Film Fest. It's not a great film, that would likely garner many awards. But for its fairly light-hearted veneer this one was a real charmer. And though it's not addressing any really significant issues to any great depth, there were some "secrets" that seemed to be buried just beneath the generally warm fuzzy surface. Although it covers a lot of the same ground that's been covered in 17,842 other films "Liegen Lernen" does it in a way that's a little less smarmy or girlie-mushy.

Most "chick films" or romantic comedies center on the female lead or on both the female and male lead. It was refreshing to see the focus in this one be almost exclusively from the male perspective. But don't let that stop you if you're one of the fairer sex.

Some might think it's a cheap shortcut but Helmut's narration voice-over gives you a chance to really get inside his head. The conflict in his head that pulls him between typical adolescent male behavior - even beyond adolescence - and enlightened adulthood is clearer and presented in a way that many guys can relate to.

The characters and Helmut's relationships with them are realistic ones that people on both sides of the Atlantic can relate to: small, manageable circles of high school friends; college and young adult years spent with an odd assortment of roommates; old friends found, even if briefly; and, of course, a variety of loves that sometimes intersect but somehow all seem to be the driving force in one's life.

It's funny without reverting to gross out gags - though there's nothing wrong with them, as a rule. It's touching without feeling like an afterschool special. It's insightful without being overbearing. The soundtrack with a seemingly intentional absence of soaring violins and goofy pop love songs is appropriate as well.

On the whole, this is a well-balanced movie that leaves you feeling like, "Why can't more films be like this one?"

Like most non-U.S. produced films, this one is probably difficult if not impossible to find in the U.S. but if you can, rent/buy/borrow it.

i was lucky to catch a sneak-preview of "liegen lernen" in a cinema in cologne, to be honest, i am not one of those german guys/girls, that love every movie made in our country, i really hate most productions, german movies suck ... so when i saw, that a german movie was on the screen when i joined the sneak, i was like "lets run away and get some drinks instead of wasting our time in here", but luckily, i did NOT do this...

The movie itself was very entertaining and in parts funny, but it had some real sensitive moments as well.

i dont want to write anything about the plot, go see it yourself, its worth it!

7.5/10 ( gave it 8 in rating system )

Had to watch this picture in DVD just because it is one of the few authentic and good German movies, like "Good-Bye Lenin". Good story, you have to know Bochum, and there's the unavoidable Berlin-part, a German combination of NYC and L.A., and an upright answer on "Where were you when the wall came down?". And most of all, it is a very German movie, not that kind of Hollywood-perfection. And Susanne Bormann plays an angel-role, "Britta". Believe it or not, playing an angel as a blonde seems to be the most difficult role (99 per cent of actresses just return "blonde"). And in the end come down to earth and become human, and join the connotations of Berlin and Britta, and leave them for real life. Keep "1 Angel" in mind. See this film and never "Soloalbum".

This movie is about a young man who is in various relationships before he realizes what and thus who is important to him. The complication is that he measures up any woman and any of the widly varying relationship with the first one he had in high-school. That woman is introduced like a blond angel and he keeps missing her.

The movie is having quite some flair of the 80ties in West-Germany. The historical events like the fall of the wall are mentioned, but have no impact on the main character unfortunately.

'Liegen lernen', which could be translated as learning to lie down, is the story of Helmut, played rather dryly by Fabian Busch, during that period of life when one tries out relationships until one decides what one wants from life. Although the political developments leading up to and after the unification of Germany are kept audibly and visibly as a recurring feature, they are only a backdrop to the tale, and do not form or even affect the plot.

Because of the dryness of Helmut's character, the voice-overs throughout the film are necessary for the viewer to get an insight into his personality and development. Whilst there have been many more interesting lead characters, the realistic handling of the feelings and conflicts of this crucial phase of personality building makes the unfolding of the plot somewhat fascinating.

The same story with identical characters of both sexes could have been told in any city or larger town in any modern country, but at least the changes in East Berlin add an extra deepness to the drama of economic progress, which in the context of this film are kept even more moderate as I personally have experienced in West Germany.

The film is directed by Hendrik Handloegten, but, as in many Rainer Werner Fassbinder films, especially 'Berlin Alexanderplatz', whilst the male roles are convincing, the female roles do not quite seem to fit into the background in which the events take place. They are fun to watch, but simply not realistic enough to be convincing. Britta, played by Susanne Bormann, lights up the screen and enhances the entertainment value even more than Gisela, played by Fritzi Haberlandt, and the others.

The pace is sometimes too slow, and, although the female characters are in some ways too extreme, in other aspects they fail to generate as much contrast as those in 'L'Homme qui aimait les femmes' or even 'Dr T and the Women'. However, this is understandable because this film is not attempting to portray the infinite variety of the female character in modern society, merely following a particular man's life in an important period of his life.

The film is entertaining, but fails to make the most of the dramatic possibilities.