I was under the impression that this film would be more of a comedy. It does have its moments, but really this is a heartfelt tale of a broken family, and on a greater scale, their broken country. The comedy is always there, lurking beneath the surface, but only occasionally rears its head. I suppose I have been watching too many American comedies, where the golden rule seems to be at least a laugh a minute. European films such as Good bye, Lenin! can take their time building up to more subtle character and narrative related comedy.
Not to say this film didn’t affect me. The plight of the main characters was quite touching, even if I found some of their actions to be a bit over the top. Chulpan Khamatova particularly gave a fantastic performance, and was giving her all every moment she was on camera, even if only in the background (although this comment may have something to do with her being incredibly gorgeous).
The statements made in this film (both literal and subliminal) made me incredibly aware of the turmoil that Germany has faced in the past, and how it has survived so much change, and just how little change I’ve had to deal with in my own country.
Great film, even if it’s not so funny.