The subtitle of this film should really read 'man in Berlin eventually succeeds in buying a coffee' for this journey towards caffeinated bliss is really the only coherent theme that holds this film together. We meet the protagonist in what appears to be a transitioning chapter of his life that involves a lot of sitting around, smoking cigarettes and aimlessly wondering from appointment to appointment. He possesses that common 20-something predicament known as a lack of purpose: he's spent two years in Berlin 'thinking about things' whilst his super successful father is under the impression that he's been studying hard at law school.
His lifestyle may be every young bohemian's dream, and there is something deliciously edgy about watching him flit in and out of film sets, weird interpretive dance shows and bars with interesting drunk old men, but it sure does get tiresome after a while. We can only hope that the death of the old man at the end of the film forces him to recognise life's fragility and fleetingness enough that he gets of his arse and at the very least finds a job. One could assume that the last shot of him finally sipping a cup of coffee is a metaphor for consolidation and new found direction...but then again, this is Germany, so maybe not.
Like most German Arthaus films, this piece is clearly not about a gripping storyline but rather snippets of still observations shot in sumptuous black and white and accompanied by a jazzy soundtrack. It's worth it for the cinematography and the incredibly dry sense of humour, just don't expect the story or the purpose of the film to be any clearer after watching it.
