Jan Ole Gerster's debut feature, A Coffee in Berlin (originally titled Oh Boy), arrives in the U.S. riding a wave of success, having swept several major categories at the 2013 German Film Awards, where its main competition was Cloud Atlas (co-directed by Gerster's friend Tom Tykwer).
By comparison, Gerster's film is agreeably modest: an 85-minute, black-and-white, jazz-scored film, with a Frances Ha tone, about a day in the life of twentysomething law-school dropout Niko Fischer (Tom Schilling). Niko's life is defined by indecision: He's moved into a new apartment, but hasn't unpacked his boxes yet; he's a smoker, but he doesn't carry a lighter (at home, he uses his toaster).
Gerster and cinematographer Philipp Kirsamer frequently frame Niko...
By comparison, Gerster's film is agreeably modest: an 85-minute, black-and-white, jazz-scored film, with a Frances Ha tone, about a day in the life of twentysomething law-school dropout Niko Fischer (Tom Schilling). Niko's life is defined by indecision: He's moved into a new apartment, but hasn't unpacked his boxes yet; he's a smoker, but he doesn't carry a lighter (at home, he uses his toaster).
Gerster and cinematographer Philipp Kirsamer frequently frame Niko...
- 6/11/2014
- Village Voice
A black and white film set in the German capital of Berlin, Oh Boy spends a day in the life of Nico Fischer (Tom Shilling), a 27-year-old chancer who is still living the life of a student despite having abandoned his studies almost two years previously. Dumped by his girlfriend before he can even get out of bed, Nico must then skip breakfast in order to attend a mandatory appointment with his appointed psychiatrist.
However, things continue to go downhill even after he is found to be unfit to drive; his father terminates his allowance, he encounters a bitter ex-classmate (Friederike Kempter) in a bar, and is then dragged along to the set of an unpromising World War II film by his friend, an aspiring actor (Marc Hosemann).
Although described in the festival’s programme as a black comedy, Oh Boy isn’t so much funny as wonderfully ironic. The character of Nico is detached,...
However, things continue to go downhill even after he is found to be unfit to drive; his father terminates his allowance, he encounters a bitter ex-classmate (Friederike Kempter) in a bar, and is then dragged along to the set of an unpromising World War II film by his friend, an aspiring actor (Marc Hosemann).
Although described in the festival’s programme as a black comedy, Oh Boy isn’t so much funny as wonderfully ironic. The character of Nico is detached,...
- 6/24/2013
- by Steven Neish
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
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