Henry (2015)

Henry: Directed by Philipp Fussenegger. With Nino Böhlau, Lukas T. Berglund, Julia Hummer, Fritz von Friedl. The musically talented, but socially challenged Henry (14) arrives at a private boarding school for music students at the beginning of a new school year. There, he unexpectedly discovers his fascination with playing the organ. From the fascination, a general love arise for the instrument, the playing of which offer Henry a refuge from the bullying that his fellow students puts him through. His teacher Ms. Schmidt recognizes his talent. Her growing interest in Henry, however, further worsens his position with his roommates Erik, Mik and Sebi. Erik feels that his status as the school’s prodigy is threatened, his talent as an organ player has saved him from relegation for years. Erik rules the school and is together with Melanie, who has had Henry under her spell, since he first arrived at the school. Erik and his minions Sebi and Mik, do all they can to make Henry’s life a living hell.

“This is a movie for an audience which can associate with having passion for something, especially for music.nThe story might appears thin at first but it is not: Henry, a mute student enters a fancy boarding school, shows and displays enormous musical talent which triggers envy from a fellow student who bullies him, also physically. Henry stoically endures these ordeals and finds solice in music, especially the giant organ of the school and a dusty old organ in the basement. There is some disturbing violence, but despite the conclusion not completed within the movie the dramatic ending does not depress in the end (no more said here as the tension of the story at the end is really high and the ending not clear). The movie is in German, the music appearing is beautiful, the organ is played so that it goes under the skin, the characters are well played, especially the young actors are fantastic, absolutely no kitsch, no nonsense, and little psychological explanations for example and even a little surprise at the end when the story is really dramatic close to a thriller. The theme can be placed close to u0026quot;Bildungsromanu0026quot; (coming of age) kind, triggers associations to u0026quot;the sorrows of young Wertheru0026quot; of Goethe or u0026quot;the confusions of young Toerlessu0026quot; (a boarding school story of Musil), or u0026quot;Beneath the Wheelu0026quot; by Hesse, the story of Henry is much simpler, like an episode in a more complicated novel.”