This movie is well shot and well acted but fails to tell the story that it means to. It clearly sets out to be a coming of age narrative - about a young woman going through various hiccups in order to discover the truth about her parents and thereby develop into a better person. None of this is convincing however, and what in theory should be the main story is overshadowed by a sordid and revolting tale of unparalleled self-degradation. The protagonist debases herself consistently and inexplicably with a much older and terribly ugly man. Many of these sexual encounters (which are shown in considerable length and detail) could be quite comfortably described as rape. In one of these scenes she is drunkenly shared in a three-way with an even more hideous and pathetic man. When her parents and husband learn of her self-debasement they are understandably shocked, and it is surprising that they do not put her into a mental asylum. The protagonist feels satisfied however, because she unravels some of her family's shady history - namely that her mother also had a relationship with this man, and apparently would have stayed with him, except that he couldn't have children. Big deal. What happened way back then in no way justifies the disgusting things she did to find them out. A truly gross film. All copies of it should be destroyed. If we all pretend it was never made then maybe one day we can forget the horrible time we spent watching it.
Review of Liebesleben
