Philajeff

Wand vor der Wand is yet another tremendous film from Austria. The Austrian film industry is really kicking ass of late. This film is directed by the female Viennese director - Renate Woltron (who also has a major acting part in it.) It is a film about everyday life in a small Austrian city southwest of Vienna. Loneliness and missed connections are often way too present as this film shows ... and yet there is much life and humanity co-existing at the same time. The two main characters are splendidly acted by Manuel Dragan and Krista Böchzelt. Manuel Dragan in particular is new to me but what an expressive face he has. After seeing this film one walks out of the cinema smiling and wanting to say hello to everyone around. See it!

What a cool film this is! It perfectly portrays the unique Viennese lifestyle in a humorous way against the backdrop of two brothers who live in two different worlds. Their pursuit of the same girl reveals their brotherly similarities as well as their brotherly differences. The cast of characters one meets along the way add to the coolness of this Austrian cinema comedy. The acting is first-rate - especially Marcel Mohab in the lead role. Manuel Rubey is completely believable as the more uptight brother. The editing is crisp and a great musical score augments your enjoyment. What's not to like about this film? (btw - The film is Austrian ... and not German as listed in IMDb)

Disconnect is actually three interwoven stories all dealing with the search for a personal connection in a modern digitalized world. Yes this is a theme that has been filmed before but never has it been filmed in such a compelling manner. The ensemble acting team in this movie is excellent with all the actors breathing an authenticity into their characters. The kid actors are exceptional. The dialog is very real as well. And adding to the total package there's even a thriller component to it that keeps one's wholehearted interest in this nearly two-hour film. I doubt Disconnect finds a large audience but even so I highly recommend this film.