Review by John Delia
The charming drama To Life (Auf das Leben!) opens this weekend in Florida and other parts of America and it’s a gripping tale with a touch of whimsy. Nicely directed and acted the film delves into the mind of a Jewish woman who’s possessed by her past and lost for an act of revenge. Not your average movie, this one will tantalize, draw out your inner feelings and possess you during and after the lights come up in the theater. Perfect for art house movie goers and those who enjoy a compelling drama.
An aging Jewish woman, Ruth (Hannelore Elsner), not being able to pay her rent gets evicted from her apartment and relocated at government run housing. Jonas (Max Riemelt), one of the men helping to move her belongings, notices how distraught the woman is and tries to sooth her traumatic experience, but the sarcastic and downtrodden woman mistakes his actions as pity. Before he leaves the new apartment however, she gives him a mandolin and asks him to deliver it a woman who has purchased it. Reluctantly he delivers it and gets handed 250 Euros. Not understanding, he goes back to the woman’s flat only to find her in the throes of a suicide attempt.
So begins a tale of divine intervention that brings to life the past this woman who had to deal as a child with the Holocaust, build a career as a singer and a deed that changes her life forever. Director Uwe Janson with 52 film and TV credits takes on this challenging drama and makes it an entertaining romance that deals with heartbreak and retribution. Janson gives a lot of latitude to his three amazing stars, Hannelore Elsner with 211credits, Max Riemelt amassing 63 performances and Sharon Brauner with 39 appearances in Film and TV. On top of their game, the three actors are superb in their rolls.
As the woman who has the memories both proud and disparaging Elsner shows both sides to Ruth’s aging life. She’s troubled by the past and decisions made in becoming this bitter, hurtful and sad woman who finds herself being raised up by Jonas. She can’t come to grips with the thought that someone would help her see the mistakes she made and that there are people in life that can forgive and help her forget. This memorable performance should connect well with those who have met similar challenging situations and are still conflicted.
Playing Jonas, a man dealing with a hidden illness, Max Riemelt shows the choices he has to make while dealing with Ruth’s problems. He’s also conflicted. Knowing that his illness can be life threatening he has to make a hard choice. Should he deal with it by telling the woman he loves causing her heartache or hideaway from her until there’s no time left. He learns a lot from Ruth’s past and where she finds herself, using it to deal with his own decisions. The two have a lot of chemistry together, more of a mother son relationship. .
As the young woman who has found herself a cabaret singer that’s a rising star, Sharon Brauner depicts Ruth’s rise up from her survival of the Holocaust. The audiences she sings to love her and when she meets Viktor, a filmmaker, the life she put behind her gets buried in the past. She’s vivacious and talented, able to dazzle a room with her German folk songs while falling in love for the first time. But there’s more to this story that changes both her and Victor.
To Life (Auf das Leben!) has not been rated by the MPAA, but contains drug use, language, violence and brief sensuality. The film is played out in the German language with English subtitles.
FINAL ANALYSIS: A very good compelling film with excellent performances. (B)
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Hannelore Elsner, Max Riemelt, Aylin Tezel, Sharon Brauner, Andreas Schmidt, Catherine Flemming, Mathieu Carrière, Timothy Peach and Markus Maria Profitlich
Directed By: Uwe Janson
Genre: Drama, Foreign
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 1 hr. 26 min.
Release Date: June 3, 2016
Language: Â German (with English subtitles)
Distributed by: Menemsha Films