"Barefoot on the Pavement": reviews, critics' opinions, plot and actors

Beginning with the cult “It happened one night” (1934), the subgenre of the “curative” road movie was firmly entrenched in world cinema. Random fellow travelers of the main characters, and even central characters, became men and women, relatives or childhood friends, just ridiculous and really crazy. According to reviews, “Barefoot on the Pavement,” continues the same leitmotif, which was interpreted differently by the creators of “Rain Man” (1988), the film “Day Eighth” (1996) and even “Princess and Warrior” (2000).

"Personal" movie

The German film actor, director, producer and screenwriter Tilman Valentin (Til) Schweiger is widely known not only in cinema circles. The top of his performing skills is still considered the image of Martin Brest in the legendary crime comedy T. Jan "Knockin 'on Heaven." He was also widely known for acting in the films "Inglourious Basterds", "Where is Fred?" and "So war."

As you know, if a person is truly talented, then in many ways. As a director, Til became famous for the films “Handsome 1.2”, “Honey in the Head” and others. His debut work as a director is considered to be the film "Polar Bear" (1998), which is a mixture of K. Tarantino and A. Kaurismäki. In this standard genre story about a gangster who tried to escape from banditry and the past, but unsuccessfully, there was exemplary German logic and directorial personal observations.

In 2005, Schweiger, based on his own script and with himself in the lead role, makes the film “Barefoot on the Pavement”. The director turns out not only the "author", but specifically the "personal" movie. The tape, declared as a comedy melodrama, is, firstly, “romantic”, which attracts spectators, and secondly, “acting”, which acts as a guarantor of rhythm, because actors without a sense of rhythm are not actors.

With a rating of IMDb: 7.20, the picture "Barefoot on the pavement" has conflicting reviews.

Romantic tragicomedy

Surprisingly, most filmmakers “Barefoot on the Pavement” tend to position Til Schweiger as the first full-fledged directorial work, although on his account formally already has two paintings. True, one was shot together, and from the credits of the other his name was simply removed for unknown reasons. In the 2005 project, after a creative warm-up, Schweiger takes on trouble-free topics - the history of romantic relationships between outright outsiders. According to critics in the reviews for “Barefoot on the Pavement,” the director, choosing a popular, reliable plot, similar to a play for an entrepreneur, saturated him with his cinematic experience, characteristic humor and deep semantic background.

Short storyline

At the center of the story is a girl named Layla, who is being treated at a psychiatric clinic. One day she decides to take her own life, but Nick Keller, a worker in time, literally pulls Laila out of the loop. A man is a loser in life, not having a permanent job due to the fact that he chose to run away from wealthy relatives and restrict communication with arrogant members of his family. The incident takes place on the eve of the wedding of his brother Victor, who leads the former beloved of Nick down the aisle. The protagonist, at the request of his mother, is forced to attend the celebration of the wedding.

Relief from Conventions

The patient’s salvation brings the hero unnecessary anxiety, as Laila immediately falls in love with Nick and sets off in search of the city barefoot. The girl, in principle, does not recognize shoes, wanting to be free at least in some way, due to the fact that she stays in prison all her life - first in her mother’s cramped apartment, then in a mental hospital.

In the process of forced communication, Laila begins to like Nick. He is also a rebel by nature, though he expresses his protest against generally accepted conventions and rules in a slightly different way. Therefore, his appearance at the celebration of his brother’s marriage with a clearly inadequate special allows the hero to free himself from the fettering framework and feel previously unknown feelings - first of all, sympathy and affection for one that found itself close by the will of fate.

About love without a touch of eroticism

Reviews of the film "Barefoot on the Pavement" by characteristic attributes are referred to the well-worn genre as "romantic comedy." Indeed, the film contains jokes, tears and a predictable and at the same time unexpected happy ending. But Til Schweiger managed to make a film about love without a single frank kiss. The biggest thing that the viewer has to see is the episode in which the girl settles on Nick’s shoulder. But, honestly, for a long time in the cinema there was no such sensual scene.

Criticism

The film "Barefoot on the Pavement", the actors and the roles of which are likely to be remembered by the viewer, was reservedly received by film critics. More skeptical filmmakers said that from a scenario point of view, the film is frankly secondary, using well-known and annoying plot moves. For example, in an episode when Nick tries to lure Laila out of the apartment, he promises to buy her ice cream. After which the characters discuss which ice cream to choose. A similar dialogue has already occurred between Anna and Jürgen - the heroes of the film "Handsome", also directed by Schweiger. Also, the director was repeatedly reproached for the artistic unevenness and artificial prolongation of the narrative.

Advantages

But most of the shortcomings are more than redeemed by skillful directorial finds. And the main advantage of the project is its faithful and soulful human intonation. Many reviewers, paraphrasing the name of another famous film with the participation of the director - “Knockin 'on Heaven” - said that in the 2005 movie, Til managed to reach the hearts of the audience.

Indeed, the emotional audience response expressed in the reviews for “Barefoot on the Pavement” is the most valuable award for the director. You should also not discount the exemplary game of Johann Vokalek and the memorable soundtrack of composer Max Bergaus, which can serve as a guide for all musicians composing music for films.

Female lead

The main female role in the film was played by the German theater and film actress Johanna (Johann) Vokalek, known for the films “John the Woman on the Papal Throne” and, of course, “Barefoot on the Pavement”. Some authors in their reviews claimed that Til chose a not-so-strong partner for himself, but since the emphasis was initially on bare feet, her acting abilities did not fully manifest.

The frozen expression on the performer’s face was more than enough to indicate her inadequacy. Curls slopping down on her face successfully emphasize her state of mind, and a change of hairstyle symbolizes her inner enlightenment. After meeting Lila, the question of whether a brutal unemployed person falls in love with a flawed suicidal person disappears by itself. Currently, the actress took a break in her creative career, she decided to devote more time to the family after the birth of a child.

Acting Ensemble

Involved in "Barefoot on the Pavement" actors are mostly German. Family members of Keller, relatives of the protagonist, were played by Steffen Wink, Nadia Tiller and Michael Mendel. No less vivid character was Sarah, performed by Janine Kunze, who made her film debut in 1997, in the form of the second Mrs. Puff in the movie “Knocking on Heaven”.

For the role of Dieter, the director ventured to invite the German dubbing actor Axel Stein. In a cameo, the German screenwriter and producer Jurgen Vogel flashed . Of course, most of our viewers watched “Barefoot on the Pavement” in Russian, but in order to appreciate the subtleties of intonation and acting, it is recommended to watch the film without translation.

Meditation film

The directorial work of Til Schweiger went almost unnoticed at the box office, giving way in 2005 to the brighter European premieres. But for the army of fans of the work of the director, she became and remains the best film of this year. On the one hand, in the movie, as in a play, there are the most severe formulations of any plot twists. On the other hand, each of them revives a lot of funny author's observations and certainly emphasized "psychological" details. In the standard motives of alienation, thirst for profit and success, leading to the fact that the only place where you can hide from all this is a mental hospital, the film makes specific clarifications. For Schweiger, this was the main goal - to clarify the position when the minimum of words explains the maximum of circumstances and trends prevailing in modern society. The picture can be safely recommended for viewing.