Personnalité réduite de toutes parts

Tedious and clumsy movie, narrated in the most simpleminded and boring way possible, about a mousy single mother photographer who is empowered by subsidies extracted by the government from productive taxpayers to take completely unremarkable photos that no one would buy with money they earned, have pseudo-intellectual conversations with her women associates, who are just as devoid of intelligence and creativity, ponder social issues of which she has not the slightest real understanding, and in general pretend to do very important and meaningful things while in reality accomplishing absolutely nothing, converting the tension of partitioned Berlin into a dull depiction of a housewife whose unease with being liberated from that position leaves her nagging society like she would a husband.

This film is a popular feminist film, but it should be viewed as more than that. The protagonist is more than just a woman fighting for woman's causes. There are themes of economic instability and national unity addressed as well as the struggles of artists and social activists.

The aesthetics are commendable as well. The camera work is not spectacular, but is interesting in how it is used in the film. And the landscapes of Berlin, which are used as a motif throughout the film, gives viewers a better sense of the city itself. The pace can be kind of slow at times, but there are plenty of "real" things being said to engage you student intellectuals who are interested in any of the things mentioned above.

I think the 4.8 rating the film received has more to do with American IMDb users aversion to slow-paced European films more than this films particular traits. If you have to watch this movie for a film class or community screening or some such event, don't be too disappointed. It's lighthearted and could be pretty good if you give it a chance.