A Constantin Film release of a Bernd Eichinger presentation of a Megaherz production. (International sales: Cinepool World Distribution, Munich.) Produced by Franz X. Gernstl. Executive producer, Louis Saul. Directed, written by Doris Dorrie.
With: Uwe Ochsenknecht, Gustav Peter Wohler, Anica Dobra, Ulrike Kriener, Heiner Lauterbach.
Modern and traditional Japan both play a part in helping two German brothers overcome their midlife crises and find peace within themselves in the disarming comedy "Enlightenment Guaranteed." Downsizing from her usual production standard to a modest budget of just over $1 million and shooting on digital video with a minimal crew, veteran director Doris Dorrie has put together what may be her most engaging film in years. While it could benefit from cuts to the protracted midsection, the comedy's universal themes and accessible humor should secure it a modest international profile.
Film had its offshore premiere as part of Rotterdam's Japanese program, No Cherry Blossoms, in the Bridge in the Rain section examining visions of Japan by Western filmmakers. What distinguishes Dorrie's approach is the fine line the director-screenwriter negotiates between the satirical and the respectful, taking a nonpatronizing view of consumerist, technological Japan and of the serene austerity of a monastery. This balance gives the comedy a gentle flavor even in its broader moments.
The two brothers couldn't have less in common. Uwe (Uwe Ochsenknecht) is an indifferent family man and kitchen salesman; Gustav (Gustav Peter Wohler) runs a feng shui consultation service and is a follower of Eastern disciplines. Abandoned abruptly by his exasperated wife, Uwe turns in desperation to his brother for help just as Gustav is preparing to go on a retreat to a Zen Buddhist monastery in Japan. Uwe begs to go with him rather than face the misery of sudden singledom alone.
Jaunty opening reels are full of snappy, well-scripted comedy played out in crisp, short scenes and graced with the director's customarily cynical yet affectionate observations, particularly of the brothers' spouses. When the action shifts from Germany to Japan, the approach changes, adopting a looser, more improvised feel.
Spending a night in Tokyo before traveling by train to the countryside monastery the next day, the brothers hit the town for a drink and lose their bearings. Unable to find their hotel, they blow what little cash they are carrying on a cab ride in the wrong direction, lose their credit cards in bewilderingly complicated cash machines and find themselves homeless for the night, forced to sleep on the street in boxes.
This experience of comfort-free living prepares them for the no-frills accommodations offered by the monastery. But here, things get even tougher as they attempt to adapt to 4:30 a.m. wake-up calls, long periods of silent meditation, frustratingly complicated dinnertime rituals and hours of arduous cleaning as a means of cleansing the heart. Roles are reversed to a certain extent as Gustav, despite all his studious devotion and preparation, buckles under pressure, while uninitiated Uwe, who is merely along for the ride, proves surprisingly adaptable to the rigors of monastery life.
While this section remains amusing and admirably avoids all the obvious avenues of culture-clash humor, it lacks economy. Tightening by 10 minutes or so could considerably improve the film and heighten the sense of almost imperceptible transformation as the two brothers lighten up, offloading emotional baggage and gaining a new perspective on who they are and where they're at in life. The experience enables Uwe to face the future as a single man and to account for his mistakes, while Gustav is able to come clean calmly about his sexuality in a sweet scene that's appealingly played as almost a throwaway.
Dorrie has used the ease and flexibility of video to make a fluid, unconstrained comedy that constantly reshapes its tone and rhythm according to the situation. Transfer to 35mm is fine, but the visual quality of digital video is incorporated via a diary Uwe shoots of the trip, which provides the occasion for direct-to-cam commentary from the brothers about their experience.
Ochsenknecht and Wohler are a strong double act, displaying exemplary comic timing and making the brothers a problem-plagued but likable pair.
Camera (color, digital video-to-film), Hans Karl Hu; editors, Inez Regnier, Arne Sinnwell; art director, Ruth Stadler; sound (Dolby Digital), Chris Price. Reviewed at Rotterdam Film Festival (No Cherry Blossoms: Visions of Japan), Jan. 29, 2000. (Also in Berlin Film Festival -- New German Films.) Running time: 108 MIN.
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