DVD Review - Free Fall
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| Hanno Koffler (left) and Max Riemelt in a scene from "Free Fall (Freier Fall)" |
Hanno Koffler stars as Marc Borgmann, a cadet at the police academy. He trains as hard as he can, but he initially falls behind running laps on a track, almost as if something is either physically or emotionally holding him back, and it's not just because of his smoking habit. He has a pregnant wife whom he has to support and a lot of pressure.
Max Riemelt co-stars as Kay Engel, a fellow police cadet who adds to Marc's pressure. It's obvious there's an attraction between the two. Anytime Marc falls behind or is reluctant to do something, Kay teases or pokes Marc by calling him a "pussy." This instantly spurs Marc into doing it, but Kay almost exists as a beautiful, blonde temptation, not un-like the serpent pulling "Adam" out of paradise. Essentially, Kay is pulling on Marc, but it's out of a fool's paradise, a fake heterosexual one.
Hopefully, the irony is not lost on director and co-writer Stephan Lacant when Marc and Kay's first encounter occurs off a jogging path in the woods. Many gay films have used the woods or nature as the location for sexual hookups between two men, but a Garden of Eden aspect hangs over Lacant's initial moments. Yet, this movie is not about Biblical references or even faith.
Those who are homophobic in this movie never cite their reasons as coming from a place of religion. Marc's parents object because what Marc is doing is essentially adultery, regardless of it being gay or straight. Marc's father says he didn't raise his son to be this way, which could be outright homophobic. It's typical code language for such.
The fellow cops' objections seem to come from a place of pure homophobia. Either they're disgusted or they potentially feel threatened. Katharina Schüttler who plays Marc's wife Bettina is the only one who has any legitimate right to feel threatened or any kind of negative feelings about Marc's affair with Kay. A very revealing shower scene though proves that while she might be bothered by the fact her husband had an affair, she might be willing to look past the fact that it was with a man.
Nominated for the Teddy Award at the Berlin International Film Festival and winner of the Jury Prize for Best Feature at Philadelphia's Qfest 2013, this film is swept along by the sheer power and chemistry between Koffler and Riemelt. They display such passion and such lustful attraction. Yet, unlike Lee's film, Lacant's point-of-view is not on balance. The story he's telling is not a too-hander.
The release of Koffler's character, or Marc's ability to run free and ahead of the others, is the sole focus. Riemelt's character and his despair or desperation are not as on-display as Jake Gyllenhaal's Jack Twist. Lacant's film comes from a singular point-of-view, which is arguably worse.
Yet, isolation of point-of-view is purposeful to convey certain emotions. In Stranger By the Lake, it's done so to convey fear and mystery. In this film, I suspect it's to convey a feeling perhaps similar to the one suggested by the title, a feeling rushing through Koffler's character, that of free fall, so limiting the film to strictly his POV would in fact be vital.
Five Stars out of Five.
Not Rated but contains full-frontal nudity and language.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 40 mins.
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ReplyDeleteGreat review! As one who is always late discovering life changing movies, I watched Freier Fall for the first time a week ago and have watched it every night since. I was also lucky enough to come across a photo from the film online, autographed by Hanno Koffler and Max Riemelt, which I quickly bought. Never have I seen a film in which two good looking (they look like they SHOULD be together), very likable, masculine yet sensitive actors captured, conveyed, and embodied love between two men as these actors did. The film tops Brokeback Mountain in my opinion, and it was produced on a budget!
I feel like I KNOW Marc and Kay, believe on some level that they are real people who now inhabit the universe, even though I rationally and likewise admire and love Hanno and Max, the actors. (Is it possible for an adult to have a teen crush? lol) They are so good in Freier Fall with the crafting of their characters that I have at times found myself getting their names mixed up with their film persona when thinking about them, calling them "Marc Koffler or Kay Riemelt, Max " :)
Once in an interview, Hanno spoke of the planned sequel (delayed in part because of scheduling issues or the pandemic), and said that he hoped to connect with those who loved the first film in an almost "spiritual" way. That meant a lot to me. The attraction and love had between Marc and Kay, first physical, then physical and emotional, also had a (non-religious) "spiritual" element to it too, a sense that they had finally "found" each other and that their souls (however defined) were as much connected as were their emotions and bodies. We really get a glimpse of this in the scene where Kay tells Marc that he loves him. Marc, who is conflicted, replies, "Leave me alone" and pulls away, but he never once lets go of Kay's jacket, he holds on, finally breaks down, and buries his face in Kay's shoulder, sobbing. They kiss, embrace, and then we see Marc simply look at Kay with a gaze that is full of longing and sadness and a complete connection that transcends.
I find it interesting that every time I watch the film, I see something new. For example, "water" is used a lot in it! Marc and Kay jump into a swimming pool, Bettina playfully pushes Marc into a bathtub full of water, Marc and Kay have sex in a heavy rain storm........no idea if it was intentional on the part of the director or writers, but "water" has long had associations with concepts of baptism, initiation, and change. Marc is being reborn, the act of which can be painful and disorienting, but also freeing and exhilarating. I also notice with each viewing, very subtle gestures and facial expressions that come from Hanno and Max, which convey as much as those gestures and expressions that are more deliberate and obvious.
In this film, (and out of it!) Hanno and Max look great together, and "work" together as few acting "couples" can. Incredible, tangible chemistry! At the risk of sounding over-the-top, I can truthfully say that both they and Freier Fall have made an indelible impression on my heart and mind that will last forever. Despite the pain, what gay man wouldn't want to be either Marc or Kay in the film, or be close to the actors in real life?
Oh - one of my favorite scenes by the way is the one in which we see Max and Marc jogging, laughing, smiling. Marc playfully smacks Kay, knee-kicks his backside, then begins to jog backwards, doing a little happy dance of sorts. The combination of masculinity and boyishness somehow overwhelms. That scene radiates pure joy.