Love Steaks

How much realness do you need? Seems some festivals deemed this had more than enough. And to be clear the central performances of the two lead actors is amazing - especially the female one in this. The male part is played by someone well known for his quirkiness - at least in roles. If he's completely different in real life, than kudos to him.

The movie overall has won a lot of prizes as imdb is stating, which is a little bit surprising ... at least to me. Can't be the script really, considering this plays a lot like an improvised experiment with some pillars set to give actors orientation. Feels like they're doing most, if not all of the work in that department. Which comes through in things being repeated and work place being ... well let's just say far removed from German efficiency ... or what people would imagine that to be. A lot of silliness going around and a strange love connection occurs ... an unlikely one some may say, but opposites attract so I would argue the opposite ... no pun intended.

If you are into German independent movies that are ... weird to say the least, this may be quite the experience for you. Everyone else be wary of what you let yourself into. This is not an easy watch. Some sensuality and sexuality included (with a bit of nudity)

It is a very strange dance these two fine young actors do.. you never know quite where it is going.. and you find it hard to take your eyes off them. The audience for such a film will be very small, it is as far from any mainstream film as one can find. But with many such films they can drift off into unwatchable territory, and although this production time and again flirts with going over the edge, each time it returns to keep us involved. And when it's all over, you're not entirely sure what you have witnessed, but feel as though it was worth your time spent.

I see people weight it like a boring film, but I think it is not a boring film. I liked the fragment per fragment like narrative and mostly enjoyed the film because of it's dynamic style of storytelling. Need to mention that the way characters are uncovered for the viewer is good directorial decision and I liked the film visually as well. Unfortunately I also see, that the stylistic approach of director is not a purely defined and original. The story itself is not a very interesting one for me, however the details (and some scenes) were engaging.

To conclude: 7/10 in its league. Not in open competition. It is shot with 100k under the Babelsberg film school.

This should have been an easy movie to like: coworkers discover romance while fighting their personal demons. And it feels weird and wrong to cry, "Too much realism!" But that was the problem, for me. Sous-chef Lara is a likeable person, when she isn't drinking. When she drinks, I'm reminded why I avoid alcoholics and other addicts like the plague - they're just unbearable to be around... and to watch. The acting was so good I couldn't stand it, on a par with Ben Gazzara in "Tales of Ordinary Madness" (Italy/France, 1981). And it doesn't help that she works with a bunch of only nominally adult jackasses in a kitchen where the noise never ceases.

Masseur Clemens is portrayed annoyingly well, too. When his #HimToo moment occurs, he reacts with neither extreme of "hot diggety" nor "get the hell out until you can behave". Instead, he dithers, uncertain and insecure. And he continues to dither through much of the movie, although who can blame him when the object of his affection is a boozehound? The resulting plot is just a little too real-time, like a novel that hasn't had its first edit.

It's difficult to enjoy a romance movie when you don't feel much affinity or affection for the characters. Building that affinity would require prologue, I think. It's not a bad film, but it could be better.

We are a guest in the lives of two German young people who work with all their naturalness. Immersive, emotional, funny, the film makes you experience the story. The acting is successful, the director jakob lass does a good job. Romantic drama lovers should not miss it. I liked it very much, I recommend it. My grade is 10/8.8. Enjoy watching.