Watches
August 18, 2020
A film with some serious ups and downs. Director Dörrie didn't make it easy on herself when she decides to mix a dramatic story on love and mourning with a Japanese travel vlog. The strict, rather dry German vibes don't gel too well with Japanese culture, which makes for a tricky blend of two worlds colliding.
The first part is spent in Germany, where Trudi finds out her husband suffers from an advanced stage of cancer. Unable to tell him directly, she pushes him it's time to take some time off together. They go to visit their children in Berlin, but they are living their own lives and don't quite understand this sudden visit of their parents.
The second part is set in Japan and is more focused on mourning. There are some very poignant and beautiful scenes hidden away here, but not everything works and some moments feel a bit too construed and emotionally dishonest. Nice performances, decent cinematography and a fine ending make sure the good prevails in the end though.