Das Nervenbündel

This was filmed based on a well-known theater play by an acclaimed playwright, brilliantly cast, honestly acted, and directed, and the technical aspects are of good quality, yet my overall feeling is quite ambivalent. I yawned four times during the film, which suggests at least that it didn't captivate me, but above all, I must say that I could not figure out which genre it was supposed to be. To me, the story and its characters felt like a drama with a slight lean towards tragicomedy, whereas the director and the original writer considered it pure comedy. The actors followed suit, but since I didn't really accept the comedic tone of the story, it inevitably felt like unwanted overacting from both protagonists. Only about four moments seemed mildly amusing to me, and otherwise, the humor or attempts at it didn't come across as effective. Overall impression: 45%. (11.12.2011)