Openly gay German filmmaker Tor Iben has followed his intriguing 2015 film ‘Where Are You Going Habibi‘ with this rather creepy psychological thriller which makes for compelling viewing. Iben has developed something of a penchant for his take on unusual relationships. With ‘Habibi’ it was the concept of a bromance which is based on love which may or may not manifest itself in the usual physical manner. Now in his latest film it is all about the secret obsession of one lonely young man for a handsome older University professor .
Tom (Alexander Tsypilev ) is a 20-something-year-old loner who still lives at home in a Berlin suburb with his indulgent mother. He is a closeted gay man who likes to seek out completely anonymous sex from online hook-up sites. Unemployed, he sometimes helps out his friend Rashid ( Patrick G. Boll ) a small-time house burglar.
On one break-in Tom becomes obsessed with Lars (Julien Lickert ) and just stands there watching him as he sleeps. He soon starts breaking in to Lars apartment on a regular habit. If it is at night he will just watch him silently in bed, and if it is during the day when the place is empty, he will just hang around using Lar’s things. He often wears masks …. another of his obsessions …. even when there is no-one else around.
Tom is a man of very few words so when finally Lars realises he has a stalker and the tables are turned, their shocking encounter is silent and very physical. It is also extremely homoerotic.
Iber’s script deliberately leaves plenty of room for one’s imagination, none more intriguing than Lar’s reactions to the reality of Tom imposing on his life. In this very entertaining film, both actors give compelling performances that maintain the suspense right up to the final credits.
Labels: 2018, German, psychological thriller
