This is an enjoyable film to watch (well, enjoyable may be the wrong word — let’s say engrossing) but there is a principal problem with it. Fassbinder’s strength is usually in his realism, his scrutiny of the mundane. The behavior displayed here is too mannered — either ridiculously muted or overblown with nowhere in between. As a result, it comes across as a false film. I think that if I saw this movie when I was younger, before ever seeing similar dead-pan masterpieces, I’d’ve really loved it. Seeing this last night my reaction was, “yes, I see what he’s doing here, I got it. What else?” Another mostly-positive-but-not-100%-review for me for Fassbinder.
