I'm a sucker for realistic movies set in foreign locales so that's why I gave this 4 stars. It has that much going for it. But the story is ponderously slow and the language barriers between the Germans and Bulgarians really cripples the development of a story. Like others have asked, why didn't the German construction company send a translator, especially after it's discovered there might be a problem requiring tapping the water supply feeding 3 local villages? How about a phrase book or translation dictionary? Something! You got a crew of workmen unable to continue their tasks because of a water problem and it might help to resolve it if your crew could communicate even minimally with the locals.
Not sure of the era but couldn't they call someone who can translate or even have brought along a German-Bulgarian dictionary? I feel that the inability to communicate is essential to the story so no effort is made to assist the characters in communicating. I mean, these aren't aliens from different planets. There are ways to communicate with those who speak another earthly language!
Do Bulgarians really dislike Germans so much? Some have posted here that Germany "occupied" Bulgaria in WW2 but my understanding is they were allies (or at least co-belligerents) and other than maybe some German troops defending a German base set in Bulgaria during the war I don't think the Germans "occupied" Bulgaria like they did Poland and many other subjugated European countries. I'm not sure here and I'd love to hear a native of the country enlighten us. I guess this might also depend on WHEN this movie is supposed to be set. It's not clear to me what era we're looking at. I'm trying to recall if I ever saw any cell phones...
It's odd that at times (when the glacially-paced plot absolutely requires it to advance) the Germans seem to understand something a Bulgarian is saying, even when the amateur sign language used still appears totally inadequate. It's like the idea that if someone doesn't understand your language, repeat LOUDER and they'll get it! Only here they don't really speak any louder... the dialogue is usually very soft-spoken. They just repeat the same word multiple times and "eureka!" the other side gets it. Watch it and you will see what I mean. More realistic would have been for someone to find an old heavily-thumbed translation dictionary! Or introduce a village elder who knows a smattering of German from wartime days. (I figured that was happening when the toothless old grandma makes an appearance at a dinner but no such luck.)
The "hero" Meinhard casts vague echos of Clint Eastwood's "Man with No Name" but that's about as close as this gets to being a "Western." (Quiet, tall, thin, brooding, smokes a lot, doesn't really get along with others, man of few words, drinks, likes horses, etc.) Other than that, I really don't understand the title. IMO this is NOT a "western" even in the most loosely metaphoric use of the term. One white horse does not make a western!
Honestly, it's so slow. I stopped watching with about 20 minutes to go and came here to find out if I missed anything in the last bit. Um.. doesn't look like it. I mean, I'm not looking for a machine gun battle, or even a bloody knife fight but "something" please! Does the project continue? Does someone find a phrase book? Do they unite their efforts and dig a well? Does the horse get a saddle? Something!?
(Re the horse: notice how the hero kind of steals the horse from the thin teenage kid. I mean the kid is riding it when Meinhard first encounters it and he grabs the bridle and forces the kid off. It's not clear at this point that the horse is "free" to anyone and it looks later like it belongs to one of the locals. Even Eastwood didn't rustle horses from innocent kids! The horse being white and all is probably a metaphor for something but I hesitate to guess.)
This movie does do a good job showing the essential dullness of life sometimes. But I watch movies to escape a bit from real life for an hour or two and this movie doesn't do it---for me, at least. YMMV. If you love art-housey type movies that would never go over in suburban theaters, then this may well be YOUR cup of tea.
Not sure of the era but couldn't they call someone who can translate or even have brought along a German-Bulgarian dictionary? I feel that the inability to communicate is essential to the story so no effort is made to assist the characters in communicating. I mean, these aren't aliens from different planets. There are ways to communicate with those who speak another earthly language!
Do Bulgarians really dislike Germans so much? Some have posted here that Germany "occupied" Bulgaria in WW2 but my understanding is they were allies (or at least co-belligerents) and other than maybe some German troops defending a German base set in Bulgaria during the war I don't think the Germans "occupied" Bulgaria like they did Poland and many other subjugated European countries. I'm not sure here and I'd love to hear a native of the country enlighten us. I guess this might also depend on WHEN this movie is supposed to be set. It's not clear to me what era we're looking at. I'm trying to recall if I ever saw any cell phones...
It's odd that at times (when the glacially-paced plot absolutely requires it to advance) the Germans seem to understand something a Bulgarian is saying, even when the amateur sign language used still appears totally inadequate. It's like the idea that if someone doesn't understand your language, repeat LOUDER and they'll get it! Only here they don't really speak any louder... the dialogue is usually very soft-spoken. They just repeat the same word multiple times and "eureka!" the other side gets it. Watch it and you will see what I mean. More realistic would have been for someone to find an old heavily-thumbed translation dictionary! Or introduce a village elder who knows a smattering of German from wartime days. (I figured that was happening when the toothless old grandma makes an appearance at a dinner but no such luck.)
The "hero" Meinhard casts vague echos of Clint Eastwood's "Man with No Name" but that's about as close as this gets to being a "Western." (Quiet, tall, thin, brooding, smokes a lot, doesn't really get along with others, man of few words, drinks, likes horses, etc.) Other than that, I really don't understand the title. IMO this is NOT a "western" even in the most loosely metaphoric use of the term. One white horse does not make a western!
Honestly, it's so slow. I stopped watching with about 20 minutes to go and came here to find out if I missed anything in the last bit. Um.. doesn't look like it. I mean, I'm not looking for a machine gun battle, or even a bloody knife fight but "something" please! Does the project continue? Does someone find a phrase book? Do they unite their efforts and dig a well? Does the horse get a saddle? Something!?
(Re the horse: notice how the hero kind of steals the horse from the thin teenage kid. I mean the kid is riding it when Meinhard first encounters it and he grabs the bridle and forces the kid off. It's not clear at this point that the horse is "free" to anyone and it looks later like it belongs to one of the locals. Even Eastwood didn't rustle horses from innocent kids! The horse being white and all is probably a metaphor for something but I hesitate to guess.)
This movie does do a good job showing the essential dullness of life sometimes. But I watch movies to escape a bit from real life for an hour or two and this movie doesn't do it---for me, at least. YMMV. If you love art-housey type movies that would never go over in suburban theaters, then this may well be YOUR cup of tea.