Der Felsen (2002)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Dominik Graf

Writers:

Markus Busch (writer)
Dominik Graf (writer)

Release Date:

25 July 2002 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Sie verbindet nichts. Bis auf die Liebe. (They have no connection. Just love)

Plot:

Katrin and Jürgen spend their holidays in Corsica. Katrin is in her mid-thirties, working as a tracer...

Plot Keywords:

Vacation | Holiday | Corsica | Island | Drunkenness

Awards:

7 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Karoline Eichhorn	...	Katrin Engelhardt
Antonio Wannek	...	Malte Gosrau
Sebastian Urzendowsky	...	Kai Gosrau
Ralph Herforth	...	Jürgen Benthagen
Peter Lohmeyer	...	Robert
Caroline Schreiber	...	Foster mother
Ulrich Gebauer	...	Foster father
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Lothar Bakan	...	Vater Malte
Jim Bardeglinu	...	Rausschmeisser
Stéphane Bardeglinu	...	Geschäftsführer
Peter Benedict	...	Bernhard
Dirk Borchardt	...	Gerd
Mathieu Camus	...	Kioskbesitzer
Jean Pierre Capbern	...	Pförtner
Guy Cimino	...	Joseph
Cécé Couprie	...	Zimmerwirtin
Daniel Delhorme	...	Arzt
Eriq Ebouaney	...	Strassenhändler (as Eriq Ebouanet)
Soraya Gomaa	...	Italienische Kellnerin
Jeanette Hain	...	Female Voice Over (voice)
Marlon Kittel	...	Olaf
Serge Lecaude	...	Frühstückskellner
Max Marcorelle	...	Polizist 2
Jean Philippe Martelli	...	Tauchladenbesitzer Luis
Nicole Max	...	Polizistin
Christian Munteanu	...	Arne
Véronique Ofenhitzer	...	Putzfrau - Hotel
Filip Peeters	...	Gesprächiger Legionär
Sylvie Puget	...	Putzfrau - Café
Franck Radet	...	Mann Yachtclub
Martin Reinhold	...	Benni
Max Richter	...	Boris
Hervé Routier	...	Polizist 1
Robert Schupp	...	Autovermieter
Lucia Stefanel	...	Kartenverkäuferin
Marc Stévenazzi	...	Rezeptionist
Mark Zak	...	Schweigsamer Legionär
Virginie Zéroil	...	Wirtin

Also Known As:

A Map of the Heart (International: English title)

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German | English | French | Swedish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Corsica, France

Company:

Bavaria Film

Movie Connections:

Referenced in From Dogma to Dogville: Don't Try This at Home (2006)

Antonio Wannek is seducing, charming - simply brilliant in a Thriller-Drama a bit too long

We are writing the year 1997, B.C. A little group of Danish rebels starts, Asterix-like, an crusade against the cultural destruction. Or are the `Dogma'-rules only the newest marketing coup to rescue the European film?

Now, `Der Felsen' is no `Dogma'-Movie, although you could suppose it after the first scenes. Washed-out, blurred pictures let foresee the worst, especially in view of the memory to the disastrous `Blair Witch Project'. The commentaries from the Off feels you to be in a book-reading and disturb the concentration on the movie heavily. Doesn't they believe in the capabilities of the audience to follow a movie? And the uninteresting holiday amour fou between an almost father and his female colleague let you extremely cold. The experimental movie seems to be failed early.

But then appears Antonio Wannek and everything changes. The talented young actor plays in the role of the adolescent `Malte' with all, the audience and his expectations, his aimless and easy love victim Katrin (the woman from the beginning) and the leader of his detention camp. No comparison with Jonathan Taylor Thomas in `Walking across Egypt' or the `Sleepers'-Boys, who simply tried to survive and find a better future. A little devil with the face of an angel. Though the evil in his head never occurs clear in the gestures of Wannek, only occasional outbursts, f.e. opposite the possible parents of his brother and the menacing separation, let you show in. Charming, like Max von Sydow in `Needful things', spreads he his spell. So, slowly, but heavy unfolds the real soul of this movie, an intense drama with thrilling elements and a multi-layered end.

A nomination for the German film award as best actor was the only logical consequence (He didn't get it!), but it would be unfair to describe it as Wanneks movie. Because the original main character is Katrin (Karoline Eichhorn), a woman in the mid of the 30ies. Disappointed from life, is she searching for variety, affection, love. And expose herself in the love affair with Malte, who could be her son. Eichhorn transports the different situations and the permanently changing feelings convincing. Ice-cold and insensitive during her sexual affairs, which seems to be only a bad compensation. Then behaving like an adult, as she seems to have understood her role and responsibility towards Malte. Though, in the next second, she become naively addicted to this one again, a fatal passion.

There is another possible explanation for the chosen form of art (pictures, commentaries etc.). They want to save money. Every Cent could help the former German media giant Kinowelt, one of the producing firms. My hint: If they hadn't stretched the movie unnecessary, they could have save more, especially at the beginning. But then beautiful pictures (diving sequence!) and a great cast made a worth seeing movie. Despite of the lack of new elements, you shouldn't leave it after half an hour!