Die Mitte der Welt

I enjoyed it. I may be simple and I may be unable to understand the nuances that apparently abound, but for sheer entertainment for me, it was pleasing. So many of IMDb critics forget that they are watching a film that is designed to entertain. They go off on journey of esoteric criticisms that only the pompous and pretentious would understand. Sit back, open a beer and view it for what is was - just a film, and to me, an enjoyable one.

The German film Die Mitte der Welt was shown in the U.S. with the translated title Center of My World (2016). It was written and directed by Jakob M. Erwa.

This movie can be interpreted in many ways. It's a coming of age movie, a gay love story, and a melodrama with many twists and turns.

Louis Hofmann plays Phil, a gay young man, who is looking for a boyfriend-lover-partner. Jannik Schümann plays Nicholas, who is handsome and athletic, and becomes Phil's boyfriend and lover, if not partner. Both Hofman and Schümann are fine young actors, and they do admirable work in this film. Also involved in the plot is Phil's twin sister, who may or may not have some special powers.

For me, however, the acting honors go to Sabine Timoteo as Glass, Phil's mother. She brings men into the family, and then sends them away, with devastating results to her children. Timoteo brings acting skills that allow her to inhabit this role. You can't take your eyes off her as she lives--and messes up--her life and the lives of others. She always tells just enough of the story to make you aware that she knows more than she tells.

The film will work well on the small screen.

I've read the book some years ago. I remember being fascinated by the almost fantasy-like world in which our hero and his family live. They are funny, warmhearted, easygoing and freewheeling -and there is some magic secret waiting to be uncovered. And the strange boy has secrets too and is shrouded in mysteries. In the film almost all of the females are shrill borderline cases, acting way over the top most of the time. Our hero is weak willed and confused (which is okay for a teenager coming of age) and must be constantly advised and be comforted by those females who can't master their own affairs. The other boy comes across as a blunt, sexy, needy and selfish guy without any mystery in his life. Being gay myself I appreciate the nicely filmed sex-scenes (guys have sex in the nude and are not covered in linen and shorts like their american brothers ). Louis Hofmann and Jannik Schümann are believable in their roles (as the director sees them) but the MAGIC which hovers about them in the book can't be felt here.

I saw this movie before i read the book and i have to say it was really really good.

At first i was a little bit annoyed about the half English - half German speaking mother, but when it came up she had an American heritage it wasn't so bad after all.

The characters in the movie were lovely and you could empathize with them in many ways. The main characters (Phi, Glass and Nicholas) were played very well. I loved the cut-scenes, which came up to show the emotions of Phil - and the music was also carefully chosen (Down by the River by Milky Chance).

The movie gives you a feel good vibe...lot of great pictures. The scenes from the childhood in a very nostalgic way.

The fact that it was a homosexual love story was, in my opinion, not the main setting of the movie. The homosexual setting was like every heterosexual setting in any other movie. It just was there. Was played beautifully. I recommend it to everyone! A high quality German/Austrian "young modern scenes" movie...wonderful and just as good as any American film.

When a film can describe everything your currently going through without doing too much...means alot. The emptiness you feel when you are seeing someone who is not giving them all to you and you feel as if you can lost them at any moment. The horrific feeling it feels when you realize that they are into someone else and that you were just a passing moment (an effective moment but still a passing one). I love this film. Amazing acting, beautiful cast and lots of hot scenes with the actors. BRAVO.