Muted, moody and keenly observant, Ulrich Köhler’s “Bungalow” follows a young German soldier named Paul (Lennie Burmeister) after he abandons his unit at a service station and returns to his childhood home. A disaffected and awkward teenager, Paul isn’t entirely happy about the unexpected arrival of his older brother, Max (Devid Striesow), and his gorgeous Danish girlfriend, Lene (Trine Dyrholm). Until he sees the couple make love.
Paul’s clumsy pursuit of Lene is as desultory as everything else he does, and as immature. And because the script (by Köhler and Henrike Goetz) never offers a reason for his desertion and generally unpleasant behavior, we don’t know if his crush derives from boredom, lust, or just the desire to mess with Max. The brothers have a chafing relationship that flares with animosity whenever Paul’s behavior escalates from prickly to nasty. Even so, there are shards of humor in his provocations, as when he invites Max’s ex to dinner and clearly relishes everyone’s discomfort.
Easy on the eyes and gentle on the mind, “Bungalow” (which opened in Germany in 2003) drifts and digresses. Dyrholm is wonderfully grounded, giving Lene a tolerance and warmth unruffled by Paul’s inexpert pursuit of intimacy. Unspooling over the course of a few lazy summer days, the film offers an enigmatic examination of youthful alienation, its plot irresolute and unpredictable. Paul might be a fugitive, but, like the movie, he’s in no hurry to decide where he’s going.
Bungalow
Not rated. In German, Danish and English, with subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 25 minutes. Watch through virtual cinemas.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
