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IMDbPro

Not a Love Song

  • 19971997
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
16
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
606,515
382,151
Not a Love Song (1997)
ComedyRomance
Add a plot in your language
IMDb RATING
5.8/10
16
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
606,515
382,151
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Jan Ralske
    • Writer
      • Jan Ralske
    • Stars
      • Anna Thalbach
      • Lars Rudolph
      • Matthias Freihof
    • Director
      • Jan Ralske
    • Writer
      • Jan Ralske
    • Stars
      • Anna Thalbach
      • Lars Rudolph
      • Matthias Freihof
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 2User reviews
    • 3Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 1 nomination

    Photos

    Not a Love Song (1997)
    Not a Love Song (1997)
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    Top cast

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    Anna Thalbach
    Anna Thalbach
    • Luise
    Lars Rudolph
    Lars Rudolph
    • Bruno
    Matthias Freihof
    • Karl
    Chajim Koenigshofen
    • Guenther
    Bruno Cathomas
    Bruno Cathomas
    • Truck Driver Pit
    Cathlen Gawlich
    • Elsa
    Esther Esche
    • Dagmar
    Ulrich Voß
    • Dieter
    Iris von Kluge
    • Susanne
    Herbert Sand
    • Seminar Lecturer
    Michael Freerix
    • Frank
    Rainer Winkelvoss
    Swantje Henke
    Peter Wawerzinek
    Matthias Rott
    • Dieb
    • Director
      • Jan Ralske
    • Writer
      • Jan Ralske
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

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    User reviews2

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    strange but beautiful film
    This is an odd German tragic comedy that screened at the Goethe House in Hanoi, Vietnam recently. Hauntingly photographed in beautiful B & W, it is the tale of a rural village in East Germany where it seems everyone wants to leave, most of all the wannabe-James-Dean male lead, Bruno (wonderful performance by Lars Rudolph). However, one hapless local entrepreneur has high-hopes for the future; but then his wife falls for Bruno which sets off a battle between romance, marketing, and responsibility.

    Though uneven at the start, the film develops an increasingly intense and desolate atmosphere, almost like in a play by Beckett. The direction is often reminiscent of Fassbinder - not realistic but truthful, distilling the essence of situations in a truly creative manner. Sometimes the scenes slip into the grotesque, but this is after all a comedy.

    I truly enjoyed this film. Anyone who knows the situation and history of East Germany today will also be pleased to discover that here is a film which deals with the political fallout of 1989 in a comical fashion, long before a film like "Goodbye Lenin" saw the light of day. It is also a sarcastic blast at the German national character, which as Fassbinder also showed, is not known for its warm-hearted friendliness. NOT A LOVE SONG - highly recommended!
    helpful•3
    0
    • genevievea
    • May 1, 2004

    Details

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    • Release date
      • October 16, 1997 (Germany)
    • Country of origin
      • Germany
    • Language
      • German
    • Production companies
      • Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (DFFB)
      • Luna-Film
      • MDR
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • $150,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      1 hour 28 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby SR
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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