Very atmospheric and nicely paced and directed women's drama and typical of by feminism influenced films that remain too esoteric to be fully comprehensible. Irritatingly it is not clear what the hell the director wants to tell us; what is the meaning of it all? She shows a divorced woman in search for a new "meaningful" relationship (at least I think so), but this is done in a way that is just too distant to get the viewer really involved: what does she think?, what is she looking for? Does she (and the director) really expect that when she is picked up in a singles bar, something more serious will come out of it?; come on, my dears, please know the rules of life!
What is the viewer to do with the overlong sequence of her birthday party? What is the viewer supposed to do with the strip act by Günther Lamprecht's character? It may well be heavy symbolism: the naked man showing himself as he really is; very intellectual, I suppose.
The strip act is accompanied by a very (and I mean: VERY, it takes at least ten minutes) extended version of Tom Jones' "Delilah". After his 20th or so "I just could not take anymore", I indeed could not take anymore and yearned for having the sound off. Again, for which purpose was this done? Did the director want to show the difference of passion between women and men? Mystery, mystery.
The main problem is of course, and not only with this one, that basically the subject is melodrama. But in stead of treating it in that way, of which most directors seem to be afraid nowadays (or are not capable of), a semi-intellectual and thereby cold treatment is given, shutting out the viewer's involvement. This one has a fine cast to keep the interest.
