Barfuß ins Glück

As a German movie fan I am familiar with Til Schweiger's original 'Barfuss' (2005). But since I always try to keep an open mind I was intrigued to see this remake - and I wasn't disappointed.

'Barefoot' - as an americanized version - tells the story a little bit different and dips more into the romantic (comedy) genre. That's fine by me because a mere copy of Schweiger's film would be pretty redundant. Evan Rachel Wood plays beautifully and portrays an adorable innocence in her role as 'Daisy', the mental patient accompanying Scott Speedman's 'Jay' to his brothers wedding. Their unusual bond is sweet and the movie has more of a light romantic dramedy tone than the original. The colors are warm and the tempo is upbeat but slows down for some nicely done heart-to-heart scenes. I especially loved the setup of certain pivotal scene towards the end.

I can already hear all those serious movie 'critics' moaning about yet another unnecessary remake but that's just it - this remake is not unnecessary. It tells a similar story with a different tone, in a different light, with a different background - transitioning it to a lighter genre. It's not taking anything away from the original - I see it as more of a bonus and really liked it.

Sometimes all you are looking for is a simple story that is about simple people and simple lives. This one is about pure characters who find each other. Don't give a damn to the critics reviews or ratings. Just enjoy this one for a fun filled evening with a glass of wine. You won't regret it!

Lovely film of innocence, with a bit of fun thrown in. 🙂

I watched this movie last night not knowing what to expect. I briefly read the premise and thought I'd take a chance and watch it. In a word, I was not disappointed. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys just a good, simple, plain vanilla romantic movie. If you're not into that, then you wouldn't appreciate this movie.

The movie starts out kind of slow and slowly builds momentum. Granted, the acting is not the greatest I've seen, the story line is not fluid; it's broken up and has plot holes and just not developed very well. It's supposed to be a comedy, but didn't find it hilarious. It's more cute than funny.

However, and a big however, all things considered, I liked the movie. I found it heart-warming and love does conquer all after all. I didn't over analyze it or read too much into it. I just accepted it for what it is and enjoyed it over all.

You cannot be more down to earth than having no shoes and socks on. Barefoot is being risky, because you're expose yourself to getting hurt (a lot). But it also means you feel things on a different level, you probably enjoy things more than others, since you are more connected to things and letting them in.

Evan Rachel Woods is terrific in playing the innocent, quirky character in this one. And she kind of steals the show, though Scott Speedman is our central character, who's the one learning life lessons and not the other way around. Even though this is predictable, you root for things to happen and cannot help but feel elevated at times or being sad with the characters too. The connection is there, if you allow it to happen