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QUIET AS A MOUSE (Marcus Mittermeier - Germany 2004)

This low-budget film from director Marcus Mittermeier and writer Henrik-Jan Stahlberg was one of the biggest surprises in German cinema of 2004. Recently I saw it again (after seeing it in the cinema for the first time) and it still holds up beautifully.

The main character Mux, played by Henrik Jan Stahlberg, is on a personal vendetta against small crime, like vandalism, shoplifting and pornography. He tries to educate people in behaving like good citizens again, but at the same time forcefully imposing his own view of the world on them in order to educate them. Shot as a pseudo-documentary, the usage of the hand-held camera is perfectly integrated in the story as the main character is patrolling the streets of Berlin with his assistant Gerd, who is operating the camera in order to film their actions. Mux is cultured, intelligent and well mannered, but his major flaw is his incapability imagining other people may not share his world-view. His lack of trust in other people also affects his love life, or the fact that he hasn't got one. He soon estranges the one girl he likes, because he thinks he's got to protect her from... what? He doesn't really seem to know himself. Off course his actions on the streets of Berlin are wrong and most of the time he is annoying, but somehow it's hard to dislike him.

Henrik Jan Stahlberg carries the movie almost single handedly with a fascinating performance. One of the few examples of a writer who can make a good performance out of his own material and in this case Stahlberg fits the role of Mux perfectly. Although the makers clearly are trying to incorporate a message in the film, it never becomes heavy handed. Together with a very dark sense of humor, that seems to come completely natural in most of the scenes, the film is never forced or straining for effect. Many of the confrontations between Mux and his "victims" come out as quite touching as well, especially the scene with the elderly man being caught whilst buying ch*ld p*rnography and the one where Mux starts singing in a poor folks café. A beautiful and very touching scene.

The soundtrack is another asset. According to the mood of the scene, the same composition is used in different ways, from up-tempo house to classical music. The love of Berlin is also apparent, throughout the film there are shots of the city. A beautifully sharply written commentary of contemporary Germany. Cynical, but with a refreshing sense of humor. Considering the modest means the makers had at their disposal during the making of this film, it's one of the best German films in years.

Camera Obsura --- 10/10

It seems that nowadays a lot of people believe they know all the answers, and they do not bother to be modest about it: Who is right, who is wrong, what is morally and politically correct, what is not. It is a common flaw, one that we know from ourselves, our neighbors, our families, even our governments.

In "Muxmäuschenstill", we follow the "works" of one man, who takes his self-righteousness one step further. Mux invents himself as the people's hero, a one-man-army against all kinds of crimes and misdemeanors, be it parking in handicapped spaces or rape and murder. He even founds a private police organization with the fines he collects from the perpetrators. All neatly booked and organized - here's your receipt!

What starts out as a quite cynical, but nonetheless very entertaining satire, soon turns out to be a brutally realistic (I am not a big fan of that jerky Dogma-style camera, but it actually works very well here), deeply German version of "Fight Club" - minus the fights and the schizophrenia. But while David Fincher turns to the surreal, Mittermeier does not. Mux, his views, his attitude, even his looks and words are chillingly familiar. In fact, he is probably one of your friends, too!

And while we watch him taking step by step down a road we instantly know to be a dead end, we cannot help but ask ourselves, if it isn't already happening. Somewhere. Next door? Down the hall?

This is a special film. A brutally honest one. And most importantly: it makes you think.

Once you've totally accepted that Mux is a madman you can watch this movie with a broad smile (before that I was frozen in my chair). Like the previous commenter mentioned this movie really ought to make you think.

The film starts in a way that most of the viewers can experience some sort of "bond" between them and the sympathetic character of Mux. It really takes about an hour or more into the film to realize the full weirdness that is founding Mux's motifs.

I caught myself thinking about recent events in my life and why my reaction is so close to that of the crazy armed Mux. You will see them tiny sins from a whole new point of view.

This movie is made by a cynic, it's highly sarcastic and alas it carries the saddest message I've heard being adapted from reality so far.

Don't forget to watch the deleted scenes. Some parts of the film lost their sense during the editing process. I especially recommend "Pornomonolog".

Probably the most accurate depiction of the German state of mind I've ever seen - a concise low-budget look at our society's lack of self-restraint which results in a secret desire for strong men who tell us what to do - maybe not just in Germany.

A self-declared crusader against all the small ills of today takes it upon himself to punish speeders, public urinators, exhibitionists and the like in such a way as to educate them to respect public order. He hires an unemployed simpleton to chronicle his gradual decent from a not entirely unsympathetic maniac to a celebrated madman.

While the hand camera and grainy images make for a cheap look, the brevity of the scenes and the punchlines from start to a drastic finish add up to a singular camera language with its own very special kind of humour. The lead actor wrote the script and therefore it's no wonder that his part suits him like a glove.

If you usually don't like German or European movies for their (supposed) braininess, try this one for clever entertainment with a message not too heavily handed.

The one great achievement of this film is, to make the viewer not notice the low budget, mainly by fast cuts and rapid camera movement. It certainly will keep you attentive.

During the movie, you catch yourself not feeling sorry for most of Max' victims. That's what I liked.

His breaking of morality (Kant is being quoted), and his arrogance are unfortunately far too obvious. That's what I disliked.

In the end, it is once again (only) a very paedagogic German film.

DON'T READ ON, UNLESS YOU DON'T MIND, THE ENDING BEING SPOILED OR KNOW THE FILM ALREADY!

At the end, Max himself becomes a murder. While this is a quite unrealistic character development, it creates empathy for the criminals, he punished so harshly. Of course, he dies soon after.

"Muxmäuschenstill" is a caricatural opus. This film can be judged witty, very violent and shocking as well -many people didn't like it. The truth is that the film of Marcus Mittermeier is very sarcastic, that's why I think it can be instructive -because it makes you think a lot.

In the Germany of our days an ex philosophy student wants the others to respect all the social rules -being kind, respectful, fighting against each form of crime-. The result is that he punishes every person who's wrong, he wants to give a new moral order but he becomes a sort of dictator. He will pay a very high price.

This film is deliberately shot as if it was a homemade documentary, with a DV-camera. It gives you the feeling of something very stressful and neurotic. We can say it follows the way of filming typical of the Scandinavian Dogma...

I don't think it's a moralist movie, it's only a portrait of what some people in the society can become. Every spectator can have his own opinion. A film which is worth to see. Avoid it if you only look for something relaxing or mainstream.