LITTLE ANGEL
[ENGELCHEN]
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1997 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 8.0 Alternative Scale: ***1/2 out of ****
Germany, 1996
Running Length: 1:29
MPAA Classification: No MPAA Rating (Sex, nudity, mature themes,
profanity)
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shown at the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema, 5/2/97, 5/5/97, &
5/8/97
Cast: Susanne Lothar, Cezary Pazura, Sophie Rois, Herbert Fritsch, Kathrin Angerer, Luise Wolfram, Heide Kipp Director: Helke Misselwitz Producer: Thomas Wilkening Screenplay: Helke Misselwitz Cinematography: Thomas Plenert In German with subtitles
LITTLE ANGEL, the latest offering from German film maker Helke Misselwitz, is a poignant, powerful character study, as well as a look at the potentially debilitating effects of loneliness. Distinguished by strong acting and an even stronger script, LITTLE ANGEL slowly-but- surely pulls the viewer into its grim, grimy, everyday world and keeps us there as this tragic tale follows its inevitable trajectory. LITTLE ANGEL is effective because it seems so real (Misselwitz made documentaries earlier in her career). For the audience, this is a voyeuristic, fly-on-the-wall experience.
We watch Ramona (Susanne Lothar) as she watches others. Her life consists of going to work, feeding her beloved pet bird, and gazing out her window at the goings-on in an adjacent apartment building. She watches one dysfunctional family in particular, and her eyes frequently meet those of the little girl whose parents are always screaming at each other. One day, Ramona encounters a Polish rogue, Andrzej (Cezay Pazura), at the train station, and, from the moment he kisses her as a ruse to divert the police's attention, she is smitten. She seeks him out day-after-day, then finally invites him back to her apartment. Soon, Andrzej has moved in, and Ramona is truly happy. But the halcyon days cannot last, and soon Ramona must face the possibility of being more lonely than ever.
LITTLE ANGEL allows us to become intimate participants in Ramona's life. By showing us all the joyless aspects of her daily routine, Misselwitz invites us to share Ramona's existence. It's a powerful way to build a character, and it works to perfection. As the movie progresses, we experience Ramona's ups and downs with her. This isn't the kind of film that engages its viewers on a purely intellectual plane.
A fleet of supporting characters populate LITTLE ANGEL, but the focus never wavers from Ramona and Andrzej. Susanne Lothar's performance is especially noteworthy -- she becomes Ramona in every way that is important, giving herself to the role. The complexity and depth of her character is due in equal part to Misselwitz's perceptive script and Lothar's memorable interpretation of it.
We have all experienced loneliness at one time or another -- it's one aspect of the human experience that anyone can relate to, and that makes Ramona's plight all-the-more immediate. LITTLE ANGEL offers a slice of many aspects of life: beauty and ugliness, joy and tragedy, passion and pain. Ramona's story touches the heart without ever resorting to manipulation, and that's the singlemost outstanding characteristic of LITTLE ANGEL. The movie, currently playing the international festival circuit, is worth seeking out.
- James Berardinelli e-mail: berardin@bc.cybernex.net ReelViews web site: http://www.cybernex.net/~berardin
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