166. Western; movie review

WESTERN
Cert 15
120 mins
BBFC advice: Contains infrequent strong language, moderate sex, violence

When I first alighted upon Valeska Grisebach's Western, I half expected to be watching a modern version of Auf Wiedersehen Pet.
After all, it centres on a group of Germans who have upped sticks to a building site in Bulgaria in order to earn a wad of cash, have a giggle, pull some local totty and drink until they cannot walk.
I could not have been more wrong. While all of the above is true, Western is actually a drama which shines a sharp light on prejudice and tradition.
It stars the excellent Meinhard Neumann as the quiet man of the group who seeks local friendship rather that drunken boorishness.
This breeds suspicions both among the Bulgarians and the Germans.
Last weekend saw the re-release of Fistful Of Dollars but I suspect it is coincidence that two films are at cinemas with central characters which remind me of Clint Eastwood's.
Actually, the connection is even more obvious in Marlina The Murderer - In Four Acts because it is a western of sorts but here the title prompts the initial thought and Neumann's lead sees it through.
Like Eastwood's stranger Joe, he begins inscrutably, seeming to try to get along with both camps while offering a glimpse of an intention of playing them off against each other.
The harder he is pushed, the more the veil of quiet determination is lifted and emotion bursts through.
Grisebach's movie shows that it is not just in the UK that groups of foreign workers are often less than welcome.
But it also questions how that will ever be the case as long as they set themselves apart from the locals (the Germans in Western even put their national flag up at their work station to emphasise their differences).
Western succeeds in provoking debate and prompts plenty of deep thought.

Reasons to watch: A deep and unusual take on foreign workers
Reasons to avoid: Will be too languid for some

Laughs: None
Jumps: None
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7/10

Director quote - Valeska Grisebach: "I was looking for a man who I imagine on a horse in a western and then very fast I landed with men on constructed sites."

The big question - Why are different nationalities so suspicious of each other?

Share this post