QUICK SNAP: live from Berlin

Austria is a conservative and old-fashioned nation, and the middle-aged critic Georg (played by the director Josef Hader) is no exception. He likes opera and classic music, and he dismisses rock’n roll and the likes of the White Stripes. He’s a sharp and confident writer, respected and admired by some of the young journalists. Most people address address him with the ultra-formal “Herr Doktor”, in a country where many like to boast status and qualifications.

One sunny day, Georg is made redundant. His crude boss explains to him that his wage is far more expensive than others, and that he was left with no other choice. Georg is devastated and unable to share the news with his younger wife, a therapist whose most important mission in life is to have a baby. He spends his days in bleak fairgrounds and parks, and he concentrates his energies on taking revenge on the man who ruined his life. He begins by scratching his car, but he soon invades and vandalises his house, as his rat rage continue to brew and to escalate.

Don’t expect a raw and disturbing tale à la Michael Haneke or Ulrich Seidl. Wild Mouse is not The Piano Teacher, neither in terms of tone nor in terms of genius. Josef Hader’s directorial debut is a light-hearted comedy with some amusing moments. The novice filmmaker is also an actor and a cabaret artist, which might explain the dark and esoteric humour with a pinch of screwball. You will laugh at his ludicrous attempts and his utter failure to exact revenge efficiently, and the disastrous consequences of his actions, but this is not a film that will move you profoundly.

Wild Mouse is showing right now in the official competition of the 67th Berlin International Film Festival, and it’s not a favourite to snatch the event’s top prize. DMovies is following the event in loco right now – just click here for more information.

Below is the film trailer: