Barfuss

You may try to dislike this dramedy. Unless you're really determined you probably won't make it. While some people may be turned off by something or other, most will have to admit that this is actually quite a nice effort from first-time-on-his-own-director and with-some-assistance-producer/writer/editor/star Schweiger. But the worst thing I can say about the movie is that the reduced color scheme didn't appeal to me all that much. Not because it was reduced, but because it made everything look as if the sun was continually setting.

Mostly it is a terribly nice little story with Wokalek's timid performance wonderfully contrasting Schweiger's character's arrogance that turns into love during the course of the movie. The character development actually works and seems pretty believable... Add some very good supporting performances from Michael Mendl, Imogen Kogge, and Steffen Wink and you get a very nice, sweetly romantic and incredibly funny picture. I wish Schweiger had managed to pull off the same trick again with "Keinohrhasen", which was nowhere near as good.

Watch it with the person you love.

Til's movie is definitely sweet, entertaining and down-right funny. It is as German as I've seem a movie, and it's humour is much more subtle and slowly delivered than most of what Holiwood has to offer. The amber colour of the cinematography gives it both a timelessness and a romantic touch. We see Germany as it is, and a most unlikely love story taking place before our eyes.

A movie about how absurd can a moment in life be, how sometimes we all need to have a bit of craziness and foolishness in order to make it through the madness of normal life.

Not a classic, but a good enjoyable evening.

I didn't have so much fun watching a love comedy for a long time (maybe after "When Harry met Sally") as this film has it all: very interesting plot, excellent and funny dialogs and scenes, top-notch acting and... this "something", this thing that makes it a film you want to watch several times and you're never bored with.

Til Schweiger is at his best (OK, I am a Til Schweiger fan, but in this one he's just awesome), Johanna Wokalek is sooo charming that it's just a pleasure to watch her.

I'm normally not writing just positives about a movie... but this one has simply bought me - I've enjoyed it so much that I can't find anything that distracted me from one of the best movie experiences ever.

If you live outside of Germany (like I do), either on your visit to this country get yourself a ticket in a movie theater (like I did), or just wait for it on DVD. This one's worth it.

This movie is simply the best combination of drama/comedy/romance I have seen in the past year. I popped into it (thank God at the very beginning!) while going through TV channels one late evening before going to bed... Well, two hours after that I was still glued to the screen because the movie caught me - first, the face of Til Schweiger, then the plot, the conversations... I was crying and laughing and crying again and couldn't wait for the movie to finish to know whether it will be a happy or not-so-happy or totally unhappy end, but at the same time wanted it to continue for as long as possible because I enjoyed it so much.

I thought this film would be one of those tried and true romantic comedy genre sorts. And the major underlying theme in the film was indeed romance and comedy but it didn't feel rehashed or trite.

Certainly the story isn't very deep but 95% of the films out there aren't deep, we watch them to escape into a story. Barfuss weaves a sweet story that has laugh out loud bits mixed in with some really touching moments.

I would most compare this film with Rainman, definitely not as good as Rainman but the story is similar.

Anyway, if you're looking for a date film, or just in the mood for a good laugh give this German gem a go. Regards, Nikki