Im Juli (In July)

Fatih Akin, writer/director, in German. Bavarian Films, 2004. starring Moritz Bleibtrue and Christiane Paul.

Fantastic road movie, very lighthearted, not like any other German movies I've seen, which tend to be on the darker side, normally involving trains that move at night or detectives in future burned-out worlds and the common factor is that you never see any daylight at all. But this film, not that

Lots of daylight. Heck, if this movie had been in English you wouldn't have been able to tell that it wasn't an American movie - had all the elements: travel, adventure, mishaps, car crashes, enigmatic women, a geek who is transformed into a hero, and a happy ending with true love winning out in the end. That is my definition of Romantic Comedy.

Paul's sweet smile, both enigmatic and tender, was indeed the highlight of the movie - the only thing that couldn't be believed was why it took this doofus so long to realize that she was his true love, and that what he was chasing was only a dream! Oh well, suffice it to say that if he'd realized it before the Yugoslavian border then it only would have been a 30 minute film.

Other than that, I loved the travelling across Eastern Europe, especially trying out the panoply of languages wherever they went, finding themselves fortunate when someone spoke either German or English. Lots of fun with border guards as well - especially making them out to be stereotypical clods. Don't think you can have a movie set in Eastern Europe (or South America for that matter!) without bribing at least ONE border guard.

and don't forget the cute ex-Yugoslavian chick who takes him on a joyride! (both with chemical enhancement AND on an extreme car chase!)

Overall, the plot may have been a little choppy - with extremes in situations and some things glossed over, but that should only really tork the purists who demand everything to be completely balanced. For me, I really didn't mind if this was a quirky road movie one minute and then a fighting-for-his life the next. That actually was rather cool, but as I said: "tight-plot junkies" will be screaming.

Good movie, highly recommended, but only for those who like REAL romantic comedies: I'm not talking "chick flicks" I'm talking those who like their characters to go through real series of funny, yet challenging escapades, only to realize that their true love is the one who weathered the journey, right beside them, every step of the way.

VG