Good Bye Lenin!
I actually want to write several blogs on this film "Good Bye Lenin!" in the coming weeks, and I guess this is the first one. Fantastic film. There are thousand things to write about this film, but I just write about love stories portrayed in this film and how they work so perfectly.
There are two(main) love stories in the film. One is the love story between two young lovers Alex and Lara and the other is the mother and son love story between Alex and his mother.
Alex, played by Daniel Brühl, meets Lara, played by Chulpan Khamatova. While many films portray romantic love story in such a way that two people meet and they fall in love instantly; next thing you know, they get married and live happily forever. Most love stories (films) portray this type of love story so poorly, partly because this is so unrealistic, and you can't really make it look real to begin with. In fact, when you meet someone like this, you're basically waiting for disaster to happen. Things can end up really badly; this is certainly not always the case, but I'd risk to say that most of these relationships end up badly. However, "Good Bye Lenin!" portrays love story right. It turns out that Alex and Lara go out on the first date several months after they meet for the first time. There is no kissing scene or love scene in the first date, but you can actually see that two are falling in love. You can also see some intimacy, a certain connection between the two.
Now, don't get me wrong here; I'm not trying to preach people and suggest to wait for 3 months to go out on the first date, no kissing for a couple of weeks and wait for another 3 months to start getting involved seriously. I have no intension to suggest to be patient. I'm not suggesting sexual abstinence, either. It's just that, after I watched this film, I realize that so many films try to make two people fall in love instantaneously. They look forced; they do not look natural. Love story in this film looks natural and intimate. Again, I'm not preaching sexual abstinence; I'm not saying it's a good idea, either (or bad). Let me put it this way. The film tells a very simple love story between two young lovers. There is nothing fancy about it, but you appreciate purity and simplicity. Metaphysics of the love story is ordinary, yet you realize that this ordinariness is very very special (not just to two lovers in the film but to many of us).
And there's another love story, and in fact, it is the more important love story, which is the mother and son love story between Alex and his mother who is played by Katrin Saß. This love story is set up right. Many films often portray the mother like a villain, while her son and his lover are falling in love. Though it may be the case in many people's actual lives,
1. It is so sad to portray any love story like that and
2. It often indicates that the relationship between the mother and the son has some problem. Something is not going right.
In this film, it is clear that, though Alex is in love with Lara, his mother is always his priority. Lara also understands it.
The relationship between Alex and his mother seems pretty traditional and ordinary, but it is a very healthy relationship. It is a peaceful relationship, and there is added value because of the fact that they live in a turbulent time. While Alex sets up old furniture and what not, the relationship is not materialistic at all. It is very spiritual and moving.
(After I read what I just wrote, )I have to admit that many people probably describe two relationships in the film so much better than I do and critique the film, but I still wanted to write about this film, because the film is so fantastic. This is definitely one of the best films I've ever watched.
There are two(main) love stories in the film. One is the love story between two young lovers Alex and Lara and the other is the mother and son love story between Alex and his mother.
Alex, played by Daniel Brühl, meets Lara, played by Chulpan Khamatova. While many films portray romantic love story in such a way that two people meet and they fall in love instantly; next thing you know, they get married and live happily forever. Most love stories (films) portray this type of love story so poorly, partly because this is so unrealistic, and you can't really make it look real to begin with. In fact, when you meet someone like this, you're basically waiting for disaster to happen. Things can end up really badly; this is certainly not always the case, but I'd risk to say that most of these relationships end up badly. However, "Good Bye Lenin!" portrays love story right. It turns out that Alex and Lara go out on the first date several months after they meet for the first time. There is no kissing scene or love scene in the first date, but you can actually see that two are falling in love. You can also see some intimacy, a certain connection between the two.
Now, don't get me wrong here; I'm not trying to preach people and suggest to wait for 3 months to go out on the first date, no kissing for a couple of weeks and wait for another 3 months to start getting involved seriously. I have no intension to suggest to be patient. I'm not suggesting sexual abstinence, either. It's just that, after I watched this film, I realize that so many films try to make two people fall in love instantaneously. They look forced; they do not look natural. Love story in this film looks natural and intimate. Again, I'm not preaching sexual abstinence; I'm not saying it's a good idea, either (or bad). Let me put it this way. The film tells a very simple love story between two young lovers. There is nothing fancy about it, but you appreciate purity and simplicity. Metaphysics of the love story is ordinary, yet you realize that this ordinariness is very very special (not just to two lovers in the film but to many of us).
And there's another love story, and in fact, it is the more important love story, which is the mother and son love story between Alex and his mother who is played by Katrin Saß. This love story is set up right. Many films often portray the mother like a villain, while her son and his lover are falling in love. Though it may be the case in many people's actual lives,
1. It is so sad to portray any love story like that and
2. It often indicates that the relationship between the mother and the son has some problem. Something is not going right.
In this film, it is clear that, though Alex is in love with Lara, his mother is always his priority. Lara also understands it.
The relationship between Alex and his mother seems pretty traditional and ordinary, but it is a very healthy relationship. It is a peaceful relationship, and there is added value because of the fact that they live in a turbulent time. While Alex sets up old furniture and what not, the relationship is not materialistic at all. It is very spiritual and moving.
(After I read what I just wrote, )I have to admit that many people probably describe two relationships in the film so much better than I do and critique the film, but I still wanted to write about this film, because the film is so fantastic. This is definitely one of the best films I've ever watched.
2 Comments:
“Good Bye Lenin” was not a bad movie it had quite a few funny moments and it was original. I had heard so much about it – but when I saw it I was quite disappointed - It was so slow and occasionally quite boring. I did like that the relationship between the two lovers was not your average Hollywood quick romance type of thing and the characters were realistic but still. The idea was good but in the end - it was a bit boring. Nice blog by the way.
Just wrote about "GoodBye Lenin!" as I look into other aspects of the film, "East Germany portrayed in GoodBye Lenin!".
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