"Breaking the Surface", writer-director Felicitas Korn's first feature-length film and film school graduation piece, won her the Best New Director Award at last year's Brooklyn Film Festival. As a snapshot from an aspiring photographer's life, it's a visually alluring one-woman show. Balancing a lot of clubbing with even more sex and a minimal amount of artsy work, Nadja's life sure is rich in production value. But the plot is flimsy, especially on motivation and coherence. What does Nadja (Henriette Heinze) see in Darius (Golo Euler), a shallow slacker almost ten years her junior? How the hell does she live (and support her mom!) on the odd skater shoot for an off-beat magazine? Ludicrous. But I must admit I enjoyed it anyway. I have a nagging suspicion it's mostly Henriette Heinze's slender dancer's frame, rarely seen with her clothes on, that kept me interested. But then, skinny girls getting their kit off have always been a staple asset of the movie business. Go see it if you had the hots for Elodie Bouchez in Yolande Zauberman's "Clubbed to Death" or Mareike Fell in "Over in the Rainbow".
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richard_sleboe9 January 2008
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Horst_In_Translation6 December 2015"Auftauchen" is a German movie from almost 10 years ago that runs for almost 90 minutes (without credits). I saw that it is also known as "Amour fou", but don't mix it up with the superior more recent film with that title. It is the only feature film so far by writer and director Felicitas Korn. Lead actress is Henriette Heinze and lead actor is Golo Euler. I only knew Heinze before watching this one and she is also more lead in here I guess. We follow the blossoming love of a couple, in which the female is roughly 10 years older, how they get together, how they spend a great time, how they struggle with their relationship. As everything is crumbling, especially professionally around the female central character, it also has a negative impact on their relationship.
I must say that this was not a good watch. Euler's character was truly uninteresting and almost seemed like nothing but a vehicle for Heinze's at some point. You cannot really blame the actor because it's the way he was written. And in terms of writing, Heinze's character did not look any better. Her struggles were obvious, but instead of great character development, the longer the film goes, the more she is reduced to uncontrolled screaming. I can certainly see why Korn did not make any other films afterward. And there were some scenes in here that were obviously only intended for shock purpose, such as the various sex scenes or the scene in the bathroom when she asks if he wants to see it. So gross and it added nothing in terms of story or character elaboration. "Auftauchen" is certainly not a complete failure, but the negative outweighs the positive for sure. Not recommended. -
kosmasp25 November 2020The title supposedly tells us that this is about breaking the surface ... but it doesn't really feel that way (to me). Our main character rather seems to dive further down, rather than coming to any surface. Not to mention the multiple penetrations that occur ... or maybe that is what the title suggests? But it is also the main actress that keeps us on our toes (standing erect you say - that would be your pun to use).
A lot of nudity but no vivid display of the intercourse ... well no explicit, let's put it that way. Now you may care about that one way or the other. But Sex also has consequences ... why the characters are drawn to each other? Logic does not always play a big role in relationships ... it can be animalistic too ... it can be the smell of the other person, which would be hard to convey on film anyway. The drama works to a degree .. but the slow pace and the fact it seems a bit aimless overall may feel like a drag to others.