A coffee in Berlin

Image courtesy rottentomatoes.com

 
I watched this movie in a phase of Non-English movie viewings which I am in, and I am glad I did so. Being conditioned to predictability and patterns, this is a good break to appreciate viewpoints from around the world.

This movie is in black and white, and it follows a phase of a person in Berlin. There are vignettes of folks you encounter, each with his own quirks. Nikko is a dropout from Law school, and we go around Berlin encountering people.

We are taken through Nikko's interactions with normal people - the pesky neighbour (who lets you into his fragile life over an impromptu drink), the government servant at the driving license centre who asks seemingly unconnected questions, the struggling actor, the classmate from eons ago , the seemingly aggressive film maker, memories of childhood from an ageing man in a bar ( this sequence is quite brilliant, too).

Image courtesy variety.com

Nikko's relationship with his father is explored, too, somewhat briefly. Things move, without dwelling at one point or person for too long. There is no 'plot' as such, things are just the way they are, as in real life.

There is a delicate scene in which Nikko bonds with a friend's granny - I feel that this is one of the most well - crafted sequences here. Many subtle points are explored. I won't spoil it more for you.

One thing loosely ties all the encounters and people in the movie (more so, its Protagonist). There are failed attempts at a seemingly simple thing - getting a good cup of coffee. The coffee machine is broken, the lady who serves coffee is just too painful to tackle,or you're simply out of coffee.

 This is Nikko's journey. An exploration in melancholy..... and the perfect coffee. Or rather, the circumstances surrounding it. What I liked is, the general glumness throughout the movie ends with one simple moment where things work, and when hope is restored, by means of scoring a nice cup of coffee.

Image courtesy filmchair.com

There is a sequence towards the end, stills of seemingly random places - an empty road with signal lights, graffiti, buildings, train tracks,  (There is a shot which is shown in the beginning and towards the end of the movie. I remember thinking how well it is composed - figure it out :)) Reminded me how how the movie 'wraps around itself', like it does in Pan's labyrinth

I kind of feel that this is like the perfect movie, without having the depth of words to express why. This movie is definitely something which grows on you, like old friends and old wine :) Let me know what you think about it.

*I do not own any of these images. All pictures courtesy their respective owners*