Review of Good Bye, Lenin! (2003) by Graham M — 06 Feb 2015
Co-written and directed by Wolfgang Becker, (Schmetterlinge (1988) and Das Leben ist eine Baustelle (1997), produced by Stefan Arndt (Amour (2012) and Cloud Atlas (2012)). This is a charming German comedy-drama about the fall of Communism in East Germany in the late 1980's, and it's also a comment on capitalism and it's one which makes you think about commercialism as well.
In October 1989, Alex Kerner (Daniel Brühl), his sister Ariane (Maria Simon) and his mother, Christiane (Katrin Saß), live in a small apartment in East Berline. Christiane is a staunch supporter of communism, and a member of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany.
When Alex is arrested during an anti-government march, Christiane witnesses this and she has a massive heart attack. As a result, she's in a coma for 8 months, and she misses the fall of communism and the reunification of Germany.
The doctors warn Alex that the shock of the news may kill her, so Alex tries to recreate East Germany for the benefit of this mother, all in their apartment. It's a very peculiar idea, but it works, and while the scheme of our central characters might be insane, there is some method to the madness.
Some of the recreations done in the film are quite funny, and so are the excuses. It's a true one off, but it puts forwards a better case for communism than capitalism.
This review of Good Bye, Lenin! (2003) was written by Graham M on 06 Feb 2015.
Good Bye, Lenin! has generally received very positive reviews.
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