This is the second time I watched the film and it was still that engrossing, though some unnatural acting skills fluttered here and there, but then again the overall watching experience was a comfortable one.
What the film portrays is of different facets of lives that are woven together, close-knitted but in everyone’s heart exists a hole that cannot be mended, If you look into the hole you see the dark side and sometimes secret of that individual and set you thinking why are they doing this. Taking the warden, who is so blinded by hatred and jealousy that he did everything he could to sabotage the girl’s chance to playing piano. They are narrow minded in the sense that they themselves are the prisoners of inherent nature: violence and vile antagonism against everything except the ego. Some may say it’s far-fetched but I do find a probability of it happening in the real world, because no one is as noble as he claims himself to be. The characters all have a piece of their story to share, of which most successfully build up the characters, but some are left irrelevant that cause doubts in people’s mind. This in turn breaks the continuity in the film and not so wise for a narrative piece.
The acting skills are rather contrived, generally, except for Jenny the protagonist. In fact it seems a bit forced as the actors try to bring out the emotions which do not really resonate with the audience (or is it just me?). For the part where the piano teacher confided in Jenny her sexuality and deplored her to make full use of her talent, Monica Bleibtreu simply over-did it – her heavy breath followed by words laden with unnatural tones to show that she was annoyed – that again makes the audience detach from the film for a moment to think why she has to be so feigned. Also her subplot about her lover does not really integrate into the main plot. Besides telling me she is a lesbian and her lover is perished by fate, all of which do not really constitute any sound reason why she wants Jenny to play piano (or win the concert), I know nothing about the contrast of the two relationships between her and Jenny and her past.
Nevertheless it is up to the audience to interpret and decipher these intriguing stories and decide for themselves if they buy them or not. For me I bought some and really enjoyed watching the film and listening to its beautiful music.
Four Minutes Movie Poster
Quastenflosser 