GOODBYE LENIN (2003) - GERMAN

One of the finest mother son stories on the celluloid.

How far can you go, to save your mother? How much do you love your mother? These questions are inadvertently asked in this film all throughout and by the end our love only increases to our mother as well as the film. To recreate a whole setup as it was 10 years ago, is certainly a humongous task and boy it was done so very believably, thanks to the director Wolfgang Becker who paid attention to the detail and built up the whole film so very believably.

Daniel Bruhl as Alex, gave an incredible performance, it was subtle with the mother, he held her so tenderly as if she were a little kid. Katrin Sab, as other Christiane too complemented the performance well. It was a well acted film apart from being a superbly written one. But I loved Daniel Bruhl as Alex in this one more than anyone else. 

The art direction combined with itself has a humane touch amidst all the details of creating first a period of 1989-1990 and then Alex has to recreate the pre-merged Germany of 1978-19879 and wow, all was done superbly. When the mother realises that his son has to gone to every extent to make her believe that it was all the same as it was, the son Alex remains unaware and that's when the tears rolled for me. Christiane tells him that she is already aware of what has been happening for past few months, I was moist and numb then. It struck me, deep I say.

The cinematography is good, I wish a blu-ray is released for this film, as it deserves a better watch than a mere DVD. Also, to note that this film was an inspiration to many films world over, and in my own place, a blockbuster 'Dookudu' was made out of this. 

It is a must watch film for many reasons apart from the mother son relationship, even the way Lara (Chuplan Khamatova) and Alex just have a love story as subplot and how good people are, for those with good intentions. When heart is good, all men come to help us. Good intentions are loved by good humans.

I loved this film that is made with honest and good intentions. Thanks Wolfgang Becker for this. A 4/5 for sure. Just not yet perfect though, as it slows down at places, despite being extremely interesting for most part.