"Bist du glücklich?", which means "Are you happy?", is a German television movie that aired first back in October 2018, so it is over a year old now already. The director is Max Zähle, an Oscar nominee in the short film category almost a decade ago, and the screenplay is by David Ungureit, a truly prolific writer who has worked on many many projects already. The film runs for 1.5 hours like most German small screen releases and features a pretty impressive cast for a television release. With this I am mostly (bit not exclusively) referring to the two lead actors played by Laura Tonke and Ronald Zehrfeld. Both are among the most successful actors from their age group right now here in Germany, have worked on big screen projects with famous directors and famous other actors and both have been successful at the German Film Awards not too long ago, with Tonke even winning both categories (lead and supporting), which is a really unusual success. So these two in here made me curious about this project. And I was not disappointed at all. These two make an already really good script even better and it is a joy to see them together in almost all scenes, many of them really just the two of them. I also felt they had pretty good chemistry. The result was that I really wanted them to end up together again, even if I cannot deny that it would have been a bit of an unrealistic turn of events and I am actually glad the director (or writer) did not give us this happy ending. But the actual ending was almost more beautiful even.
I don't want to go into detail too much about specific scenes I liked here. But I really really liked how they included the title near the end. And also this moment of silence there is really a reference back to something mentioned in an earlier conversation (I think it was Tonke's character who said it). This silence who feels positive and not awkward because they have nothing to say to each other. Obviously throughout the film you feel that they have so much to say to each other. If they will end up together again or not is not elaborated on eventually and you can make up your mind yourself when it comes to this question. But it is alright as this is never what the film is really about. Instead it shows us realistically how a man and woman after their breakup meet again in order to work out what is going to happen with the house they bought. And while the two are talking we frequently see what they are talking about as flashbacks from the past when they were (maybe) happier. This does not only include the only event that made the man cry, the affair he had with a colleague, the ugly break-up that resulted from a pregnancy with one character not being physically able to have children anymore etc. It's just really really many good scenes that feel very deep. I also liked the comparison between the two scenes when they go to that restaurant where they were when they were so in love and now when it is probably all over. The chili con carne is not really delicious anymore. The way he pays is differently. They argue about the table they sat back then. And so on. It was a really interesting scene. Another scene that stayed in my mind was the one with the group of friends they met and when they are playing something like Truth or Dare, it is a bit sad to watch (also for him maybe) what she has to say about happiness in her relationship. This is quickly forgotten though because a different tragedy ensues right after. The old couple is pretty fine as well and adds some nice supporting touch here. Or another scene I would like to mention is when we see the two still (madly) in love with each other, but a relationship in their circle of friends is breaking apart at the same time and you feel they are somewhat happy that it is not going this way for them. Oh boy, they clearly did not know how things would turn out.
I mean not everything is perfect in this movie. For example, when she finds underwear of another woman or so in the car, this is not the film's best moment although admittedly it could have been way worse, so there was definitely some expertise in charge here in front of the camera and behind it. Maybe you will also like some of the scenes I mentioned, maybe you will prefer others, but I am pretty positive that the majority of people who watches this movie is going to like it too. It feels from the heart and yet very authentic and realistic and this is why it was so good I'd say. I think it is also a pretty good watch for couples really. To be entertained, but also to maybe see what they do not want to become at some point in their relationship. It should be the sweet moments that matter like when she keeps poking fun at him how he dares to argue with a woman who has a knife in her hand when it comes to cutting pepper. And how they kiss immediately afterwards again. And not the scene with the salt shaker or a few others that feel pretty annoying and sad (but in a realistic way again). You will identify these scenes when you see them. There is not really much need for me to go into detail. Instead you should watch this film if you get the chance. It is probably rather difficult to get a hand on it outside of Germany, also because they did not make subtitles I suppose, but if you are lucky enough, then definitely go for it. Good direction, writing and acting. This one has it all. It has many sweet moments, many slightly depressing moments because this is what break-ups are, but no matter whcih perspective you take, this film never disappoints and instead gets better and better the longer it runs. Highly recommended. A definite contender for best German movie of 2018 and that includes big screen releases too.
I don't want to go into detail too much about specific scenes I liked here. But I really really liked how they included the title near the end. And also this moment of silence there is really a reference back to something mentioned in an earlier conversation (I think it was Tonke's character who said it). This silence who feels positive and not awkward because they have nothing to say to each other. Obviously throughout the film you feel that they have so much to say to each other. If they will end up together again or not is not elaborated on eventually and you can make up your mind yourself when it comes to this question. But it is alright as this is never what the film is really about. Instead it shows us realistically how a man and woman after their breakup meet again in order to work out what is going to happen with the house they bought. And while the two are talking we frequently see what they are talking about as flashbacks from the past when they were (maybe) happier. This does not only include the only event that made the man cry, the affair he had with a colleague, the ugly break-up that resulted from a pregnancy with one character not being physically able to have children anymore etc. It's just really really many good scenes that feel very deep. I also liked the comparison between the two scenes when they go to that restaurant where they were when they were so in love and now when it is probably all over. The chili con carne is not really delicious anymore. The way he pays is differently. They argue about the table they sat back then. And so on. It was a really interesting scene. Another scene that stayed in my mind was the one with the group of friends they met and when they are playing something like Truth or Dare, it is a bit sad to watch (also for him maybe) what she has to say about happiness in her relationship. This is quickly forgotten though because a different tragedy ensues right after. The old couple is pretty fine as well and adds some nice supporting touch here. Or another scene I would like to mention is when we see the two still (madly) in love with each other, but a relationship in their circle of friends is breaking apart at the same time and you feel they are somewhat happy that it is not going this way for them. Oh boy, they clearly did not know how things would turn out.
I mean not everything is perfect in this movie. For example, when she finds underwear of another woman or so in the car, this is not the film's best moment although admittedly it could have been way worse, so there was definitely some expertise in charge here in front of the camera and behind it. Maybe you will also like some of the scenes I mentioned, maybe you will prefer others, but I am pretty positive that the majority of people who watches this movie is going to like it too. It feels from the heart and yet very authentic and realistic and this is why it was so good I'd say. I think it is also a pretty good watch for couples really. To be entertained, but also to maybe see what they do not want to become at some point in their relationship. It should be the sweet moments that matter like when she keeps poking fun at him how he dares to argue with a woman who has a knife in her hand when it comes to cutting pepper. And how they kiss immediately afterwards again. And not the scene with the salt shaker or a few others that feel pretty annoying and sad (but in a realistic way again). You will identify these scenes when you see them. There is not really much need for me to go into detail. Instead you should watch this film if you get the chance. It is probably rather difficult to get a hand on it outside of Germany, also because they did not make subtitles I suppose, but if you are lucky enough, then definitely go for it. Good direction, writing and acting. This one has it all. It has many sweet moments, many slightly depressing moments because this is what break-ups are, but no matter whcih perspective you take, this film never disappoints and instead gets better and better the longer it runs. Highly recommended. A definite contender for best German movie of 2018 and that includes big screen releases too.
