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Dec 27, 2014Nursebob rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
At the age of 67 frumpy housewife Inge has a delayed mid-life crisis and begins an affair with a 76-year old man. When she finally confesses her indiscretion to her husband of thirty years angry tears ensue and she realizes she must make a choice. It’s not that her marriage is terrible, Werner is a kind and gentle mate who is comfortably set in his ways. His idea of a fun evening is listening to recordings of trains and watching the news. Karl, on the other hand, brings a certain amount of excitement to her life....he rides a bike and takes her skinny-dipping. With Karl she rediscovers that fluttery exhilaration of first love which she thought belonged only to the young. Despite a few nicely filmed scenes of geriatric sex, Dresen has simply added a small twist to the old love triangle story. This in no way demeans his film as there is much here to admire. The editing is sharp, the acting superb, and the attention paid to small details adds a great deal to the narrative, whether it’s a ticking clock in a silent bedroom or the sound of a distant train whistle. Ursula Werner portrays Inge with a curious mixture of inner strength and almost child-like vulnerability. I couldn’t feel any sympathy for her character but her inner turmoil was painfully evident. A very well made, if ultimately unremarkable film.