Director Christian Petzold (PHOENIX, TRANSIT) appears to be in a slightly different mode at first with his latest, AFIRE. Four people gather at a seemingly idyllic summer retreat in the Baltics.
The home is owned by the family of Felix (Langston Uibel). He and his friend Leon (Thomas Schubert) discover that a young woman has sublet a bedroom as well, Nadja (played by Petzhold regular, Paula Beer). A local lifeguard Deved (Enno Trebs) completes the quartet. Leon is there to work on a rewrite of his novel, while Felix is completing a portfolio of photographs.
Petzold has said that he found inspiration in the work of Eric Rohmer and one can certainly see the influence as the characters go through their paces and engage in barbed conversations and behaviors. The original German title translates roughly as 'Red Skies' and refers to the crimson glow from nearby forest fires in the region.
Petzold's script takes a bit to come into focus and is impeded by the character of Leon, a petulant sort who is neither sympathetic nor particular interesting for much of the action. Schubert's performance similarly is off-putting at first and never quite makes him worthy of much investment. Fortunately, Beer is her dependable self and keeps the film moving along, all the while revealing layers of her character. Uibel and Trebs are fine as is Matthias Brandt as Leon's literary editor.
AFIRE has an appropriate denouement (if a bit on the nose) and Petzhold delivers one last mischievous wink to the viewer.
The home is owned by the family of Felix (Langston Uibel). He and his friend Leon (Thomas Schubert) discover that a young woman has sublet a bedroom as well, Nadja (played by Petzhold regular, Paula Beer). A local lifeguard Deved (Enno Trebs) completes the quartet. Leon is there to work on a rewrite of his novel, while Felix is completing a portfolio of photographs.
Petzold has said that he found inspiration in the work of Eric Rohmer and one can certainly see the influence as the characters go through their paces and engage in barbed conversations and behaviors. The original German title translates roughly as 'Red Skies' and refers to the crimson glow from nearby forest fires in the region.
Petzold's script takes a bit to come into focus and is impeded by the character of Leon, a petulant sort who is neither sympathetic nor particular interesting for much of the action. Schubert's performance similarly is off-putting at first and never quite makes him worthy of much investment. Fortunately, Beer is her dependable self and keeps the film moving along, all the while revealing layers of her character. Uibel and Trebs are fine as is Matthias Brandt as Leon's literary editor.
AFIRE has an appropriate denouement (if a bit on the nose) and Petzhold delivers one last mischievous wink to the viewer.