Review of Breathing (2011) by Rainer K — 13 Oct 2011
Karl Markovics' debut film deals not just with one but two highly delicate themes: death and (youth) prison. Considering the difficulties I imagine researching and shooting this film - it's a movie of epic scale.
Atmen is about a young prisoner who tries to shorten his detainment by looking for work in civil life - he eventually gets one in a Viennese undertaker business where he first finds resistance and later friends.
It's a wonderful character study of Roman (the main character) - he was brought up in an orphanage abandoned by his mother never having felt any freedom in his whole life.
But Atmen not only depicts Roman's life but also is about his co-worker - a typical Viennese grumbler but eventually one of the "good" guys - about his divorced probation officer and also about his mother.
Highly moving and thought provoking!
PS: How did the Cannes jury understand the Viennese mentality (which is essential to understand some of what's going on) from subtitles?
This review of Breathing (2011) was written by Rainer K on 13 Oct 2011.
Breathing has generally received positive reviews.
Was this review helpful?
