Herr Lehmann (2003)

Herr Lehmann: Directed by Leander Haußmann. With Christian Ulmen, Detlev Buck, Katja Danowski, Janek Rieke. In October 1989, the part of the West Berlin borough of Kreuzberg called SO 36, had been largely shut off by the Wall from the rest of the city for 28 years. A lethargic sub-culture of students, artists, bohemians and barflys had flourished among crumbling buildings. Part of that microcosm is barkeeper Frank, semi-formally called ‘Herr Lehmann’ by friends and patrons. He hangs out drinking, sports utter disregard for anything beyond SO 36 and lazily pursues an affair with cook Katrin. His lifestyle is gradually disturbed, when his parents show up for a visit, things go awry with Katrin and his best friend Karl starts to act strange. Meanwhile, political turmoil mounts on the other side of the Wall.

“Of course you canu0026#39;t really compare Herr Lehmann to dramatic history reenactments like Der Untergang.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBut Herr Lehman is so full of comedy, but also full of authenticism and a plot not devoid of drama. Itu0026#39;s dialogues are outstanding, but then the book the film is based on was exceptional to begin with. And the best thing is, if you like the movie, you will like the books. Sven Regener managed to show his talent in storytelling and humour in both art forms, book and movie. The connections he makes, the way he connects what actually happens to Frank Lehmannu0026#39;s thoughts is the best use of basic rhetoric means I ever saw. He doesnu0026#39;t use the u0026quot;rhetoric artilleryu0026quot; so to speak, but achieves literary greatness nevertheless.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe acting is on par with the quality of the script though. Even if I didnu0026#39;t expect Christian Ulmen to do any good acting ever, he produced the perfect rendition of the lazy, slightly hedonistic, disoriented Herr Lehmann. Detlev Buck is outstanding as well, as is nearly everybody in the supporting cast.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e10/10 for humour, artistic style, acting, all that while staying serious.”