This German comedy (2012) shows the obvious influence of Woody Allen in its jazz soundtrack, black-and-white cinematography, and wisecracking urbanite characters, yet it also suggests a critique of Allen’s privileged worldview. The protagonist is a law school dropout in Berlin who siphons money from his rich father’s bank account to maintain an idle, bohemian lifestyle, and the movie takes place over a long day in which he gets his comeuppance. Writer-director Jan Ole Gerster employs a loose, episodic structure that feels closer in spirit to TV comedy than feature filmmaking; though often funny, the movie never feels like more than the sum of its parts. In German with subtitles.
A Coffee in Berlin
1 hour 25 min • 2013
