Berlin (dpa) – When actors switch behind the camera, some can not resist a mocking comment. Oh, he’s also directing now? Yes, he’s also directing now.
With films like “Good Bye, Lenin!” has Daniel <!––> Brühl made a name as an actor – almost twenty years later he is behind the camera for the first time. His directorial debut is called “Next Door”.
The film runs in the competition of the Berlinale <!––> and develops into a psychological thriller. The story tells of two men who meet in a corner pub in Berlin. One of the two is actor Daniel – an arrogant fool who cares little for his fellow human beings, but a lot for their admiration.
It brings a nice self-irony with it that Daniel Brühl plays the role himself. His character wants to go to a casting in London and makes a detour to the pub beforehand. Regular guest Bruno sits at the bar – it is played by Peter Kurth (“Babylon Berlin”), with beige trousers and a badly fitting shirt.
“Can I have an autograph?” Asks Bruno dryly. When Daniel signs on a napkin, Bruno wipes his mouth with it. In the next hour and a half he will not only dismantle Daniel’s work (“Well, you’re not doing well either”), but also his life. More is not revealed at this point – but you can soon guess what is to come.
The idea for the film comes from Brühl himself, the screenplay by writer Daniel Kehlmann (“Measuring the World”). The two met some time ago. The result is an interesting chamber play that deals with important topics. It’s about solid life lies, about still smoldering conflicts between East and West Germans, about the understanding of the roles of men and women.
As a director, Brühl shows a feeling for narrative rhythm, for the importance of pauses and precise acting. For example, the innkeeper, played by Rike Eckermann, also seems quite authentic. Brühl refrains from extravagance – sometimes optically that is rather solid, but some scenes are really good.
This applies, for example, to those snapshots that, as if by the way, expose the hollowness of the actor Daniel. For example, when he pretends he loves the pub – and then it turns out that he doesn’t know either the well-known brawn or the name of the landlady.
Scenes like these reflect everyday life in the city of Berlin, tell of displacement, gentrification, of the coexistence rather than togetherness of many people. Kehlmann’s sometimes heavy-weight thoughts take on a nice lightness. The film will not be shown on the Berlinale media server; instead, screenings were held in the cinema in compliance with hygiene regulations.
One would like to ask Daniel Brühl how he thinks about it himself in his neighborhood, how much he reveals about himself in this film. He also lives in Berlin, has even opened a tapas bar in the Kreuzberg district and is one of the most successful actors in the country. But no interviews are planned during the Berlinale – the film festival will initially only take place online.
Brühl’s directorial debut is now in the running for the Golden Bear. The most important award at the Berlinale is given for the best film. A total of 15 productions are running in the competition – and there are well-known names from the arthouse scene. It is unclear when many of the films will be seen in the cinema. Cinemas in Germany are still closed due to the pandemic. The Berlinale is hoping for the summer – then there will be a festival for the audience.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210302-99-650078 / 4
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