Liegen lernen (2003) Online

'Liegen lernen', which could be translated as learning to lie down, is the story of Helmut, played rather dryly by Fabian Busch, during that period of life when one tries out relationships until one decides what one wants from life. Although the political developments leading up to and after the unification of Germany are kept audibly and visibly as a recurring feature, they are only a backdrop to the tale, and do not form or even affect the plot.

Because of the dryness of Helmut's character, the voice-overs throughout the film are necessary for the viewer to get an insight into his personality and development. Whilst there have been many more interesting lead characters, the realistic handling of the feelings and conflicts of this crucial phase of personality building makes the unfolding of the plot somewhat fascinating.

The same story with identical characters of both sexes could have been told in any city or larger town in any modern country, but at least the changes in East Berlin add an extra deepness to the drama of economic progress, which in the context of this film are kept even more moderate as I personally have experienced in West Germany.

The film is directed by Hendrik Handloegten, but, as in many Rainer Werner Fassbinder films, especially 'Berlin Alexanderplatz', whilst the male roles are convincing, the female roles do not quite seem to fit into the background in which the events take place. They are fun to watch, but simply not realistic enough to be convincing. Britta, played by Susanne Bormann, lights up the screen and enhances the entertainment value even more than Gisela, played by Fritzi Haberlandt, and the others.

The pace is sometimes too slow, and, although the female characters are in some ways too extreme, in other aspects they fail to generate as much contrast as those in 'L'Homme qui aimait les femmes' or even 'Dr T and the Women'. However, this is understandable because this film is not attempting to portray the infinite variety of the female character in modern society, merely following a particular man's life in an important period of his life.

The film is entertaining, but fails to make the most of the dramatic possibilities.

I saw this at the 2004 Palm Springs Film Fest. It's not a great film, that would likely garner many awards. But for its fairly light-hearted veneer this one was a real charmer. And though it's not addressing any really significant issues to any great depth, there were some "secrets" that seemed to be buried just beneath the generally warm fuzzy surface. Although it covers a lot of the same ground that's been covered in 17,842 other films "Liegen Lernen" does it in a way that's a little less smarmy or girlie-mushy.

Most "chick films" or romantic comedies center on the female lead or on both the female and male lead. It was refreshing to see the focus in this one be almost exclusively from the male perspective. But don't let that stop you if you're one of the fairer sex.

Some might think it's a cheap shortcut but Helmut's narration voice-over gives you a chance to really get inside his head. The conflict in his head that pulls him between typical adolescent male behavior - even beyond adolescence - and enlightened adulthood is clearer and presented in a way that many guys can relate to.

The characters and Helmut's relationships with them are realistic ones that people on both sides of the Atlantic can relate to: small, manageable circles of high school friends; college and young adult years spent with an odd assortment of roommates; old friends found, even if briefly; and, of course, a variety of loves that sometimes intersect but somehow all seem to be the driving force in one's life.

It's funny without reverting to gross out gags - though there's nothing wrong with them, as a rule. It's touching without feeling like an afterschool special. It's insightful without being overbearing. The soundtrack with a seemingly intentional absence of soaring violins and goofy pop love songs is appropriate as well.

On the whole, this is a well-balanced movie that leaves you feeling like, "Why can't more films be like this one?"

Like most non-U.S. produced films, this one is probably difficult if not impossible to find in the U.S. but if you can, rent/buy/borrow it.

This movie was not very romantic or funny, but it got one point across wonderfully- waiting for the one who got away will screw you over (and all those eligible human bodies around you). In this case, it's the guy that pines over his idyllic first love... in Germany!! Oh so romantic!.. the gray.. dark blue.. coal smelling.. EAST Germany. ;) Nevertheless, your night vision adjusts and the movie gets better.

I really appreciate that the movie deals with men's issues, such as the way they view romantic relationships and how they, even though it's hard to admit, contract and repeat unhealthy patterns in their life. Not the glamorous Haley-Davidson, Mr. Jack Daniels type of masculinity, but the one that lurks beneath the Common Jerk, who (as we all know) cries at night into his pillow, trapped inside his own head.

In essence,this film is for both blocks&birds.. but you gotta to be ready for the presentation. It dissects most common Bf/Gf types and serves them up like a tech assistant at a biology lab. Imagine sugar-free, sunshine-free version of "Before the Sunset" as told by a guy who could actually exist... I loved it.

The movie begins in the Berlin of the nineties, but it goes back to a deeper past: the eighties. For all those who have lived through this decade, it´s a journey back in time. A journey that seems quite realistic due to the excellent equipping of the movie.

The story is about a young man growing up, about his learning to love.

But this takes its time... In the beginning he is a romantic lover, only interested in his true love, Britta. When she splits with him, he grows cynical,learns to use women for his his sexual satisfaction. By chance he meets Britta again and sees how she has changed. In this moment he loses a dream, but he is not yet ready to realise it.

He gets bored with his changing relationships and decides to look for a woman he might grow old with. Luck has it he finds her soon, but still he is not able to really love her. When she wants to have children with him, he simply runs away, goes to Berlin, and meets Britta again. Instinctively, he does the right thing: he "kills" his dream...

At this moment we´re not only back at the beginning of the movie but at the start of his new life.

Personally, I think it was nice to see, how the story is pushed forward, to see the moments of insight that decide about his personal development. The acting is fine and if you can identify with the main character, you really get caught.

Comment of a female viewer: "It was nice to see a movie, in which men have feelings." That´s the point: the main character doesnot show his feelings to the people around him, but they are clear to the audience.

For all those who are old enough to have lived through the eighties and are interested in seeing how a young man becomes what he is, this movie is highly recommended.

9 out 10.

"Liegen lernen" or "Learning to Lie" (could slightly be misunderstood this title) is a German movie from 2003, so this one had its 15th anniversary last year. It was directed by Henk Handloegten and he also adapted the novel this is based on. At under 90 minutes including credits, it really isn't a very long film, but that is good in this very case because honestly it did feel a bit repetitive. Anyway, first things first. Back in the early 2000s, most German films were still rather about the Fall of the Berlin Wall than the years of Nazi Germany and World War II and this one is not an exception, although you could really say that these events are just happening in the background and are mentioned, but the film is never about any of these really. It is about Helmut, played by Fabian Busch, and the women in his life in the sense of love interests. One after the other. And also how his perception of love changes over the years with the experiences he made. The girls are played by Susanne Bormann, Fritzi Haberlandt, Sophie Rois and Birgit Minichmayr if we count all these that have a little more screen time only. Early on, he is a hopeless romantic still crushing hard on his first love, who obviously does not have the same strong feelings for him as she quickly after it started with him decides to move to the United States for a year and go to school there. But still, she seems to feel some kind of connection with Helmut too as she keeps coming back to him, admittedly only every time he asks for her and then he gets over her for a while again and finds somebody new and so on. Admittedly I must say I struggle with seeing any real appeal in this movie to be honest. It is almost never bad or anything and it does feel kinda realistic, but still I wonder why it was made because honestly in my opinion neither Helmut nor the girls really deserve a film being made about them. And admittedly with so much heartbreak and love going on, the film stayed surprisingly unemotional to me and I never cared a lot for the protagonist to find love. He is also not a perfect fella or anything, that much is safe, and the best moment is when we see him break up with Haberlandt's character. It is basically tables turned overall you could say compared to his relationship with Bormann's character early on. He is the one that lost interestg now relatively quickly. But when he tells her he doesn't know if he still loves her if she caught him with Rois' character, this is of course a definite "No", even if he does not dare to say it, so he would not hurt her any further. By the way stiull baffling to see Haberlandt won a German Film Award for this performance. I mean she is not bad or anything, but she does not stand out whatsoever compared to the other girls except she is really the one who is innocent and pure good and I guess that was enough. The Academy sure likes her. Now as for the film itself, it is a bit of coming-of-age story, even if there is little focus on anything other than the romantic relationships, so maybe you cannot call the film like that. What else can I say here. Yeah there were bad moments too. For example Florian Lukas was the ultimate supporting actor star in Germany back then, but here he adds absolutely nothing in terms of performance or the character as a whole and could or should have been left out completely. Here and there a few references about the Fall of the Berlin Wall I mentioned earlier, in addition also some personal events that may have shaped the protagonist less than I would have expected like his parents' divorce and of course all the love relationships. That's all you get with this film. It is more about drama than comedy, but it does not deliver sufficiently in either department. My suggestion is to skip the watch and go for something else instead. Final note: I have not read the book this is based on, so I cannot say if it is as forgettable as the film or if the quzality was lost in translation.

Had to watch this picture in DVD just because it is one of the few authentic and good German movies, like "Good-Bye Lenin". Good story, you have to know Bochum, and there's the unavoidable Berlin-part, a German combination of NYC and L.A., and an upright answer on "Where were you when the wall came down?". And most of all, it is a very German movie, not that kind of Hollywood-perfection. And Susanne Bormann plays an angel-role, "Britta". Believe it or not, playing an angel as a blonde seems to be the most difficult role (99 per cent of actresses just return "blonde"). And in the end come down to earth and become human, and join the connotations of Berlin and Britta, and leave them for real life. Keep "1 Angel" in mind. See this film and never "Soloalbum".

"Liegen lernen" did decent, not spectacular business at the box office (the problems of which I attribute to the rather odd promotion campaign and tag line that in my opinion did not attract the right audience). Henk Handloegten's second theatrical film as a director showcases him as a master "actors' director", working with a wonderful ensemble cast. Susanne Bormann shines as siren Britta with her very seductive yet somehow innocent play attitude towards love and the subsequent darker, more experienced and somber "shadow of her former self" in later years. Fabian Busch (Helmut) makes the transition from schoolboy to 30something with a bit of makeup, but mostly through changes in bearing and expressions. Fritzi Haberlandt is very convincing as the bourgeois girlfriend who is shattered by Helmut's careless unfaithfulness. A must see (especially for people whose adolescent years fall into the tumultuous early Eighties) and in general a very fine, timeless pic; painstakingly researched and effortlessly played. Kudos!

i was lucky to catch a sneak-preview of "liegen lernen" in a cinema in cologne, to be honest, i am not one of those german guys/girls, that love every movie made in our country, i really hate most productions, german movies suck ... so when i saw, that a german movie was on the screen when i joined the sneak, i was like "lets run away and get some drinks instead of wasting our time in here", but luckily, i did NOT do this...

The movie itself was very entertaining and in parts funny, but it had some real sensitive moments as well.

i dont want to write anything about the plot, go see it yourself, its worth it!

7.5/10 ( gave it 8 in rating system )