Drei Stunden

The underlying ambitions of Drei Stunden, of looking at how hard a relationship can be in this day and age, especially for those who do not subscribe to the "practical" urban paths of business life, are admirable. The plot put together to express this is less so.

Martin is a dreamy individual with artistic inclinations, while Isabel is idealistic and acutely aware, politically and environmentally. But ultimately they are on the same wavelength, it is only their terminologies that differ. Just as Isabel decides to travel to the African continent to dedicate herself to a long term project, Martin comes to the realization that their great friendship, ever so slightly sketched in the first few minutes of the movie, is the basis of a much stronger bond. So he has just a few hours before Isabel's plane leaves to find out if he can keep her close.

The movie tries pretty hard to be modern and its pieces fit together reasonably well, but it makes it difficult to relate to its wayward leads, whose chemistry is not enough to overcome the narrative hurdle. It lacks passion and individuality, which means that it is not authentic enough to count, despite a good starting point that could have told a more engaging and very relevant story. As such, it is only a competent time passer.