Directed by:
Werner HerzogScreenplay:
Werner HerzogCinematography:
Thomas MauchComposer:
Chet AtkinsCast:
Bruno S., Eva Mattes, Wilhelm von Homburg, Clemens Scheitz, Michael Gahr, Alfred Edel, Burkhard Driest, Václav Vojta, Yüksel TopkugürlerVOD (1)
Plots(1)
Bruno Stroszek, a hapless busker in Berlin, falls for a prostitute, Eva, who's in trouble with local thugs. With nothing to lose, the new couple decide to emigrate to the United States with their neighbor Scheitz, whose American nephew lives in rural Wisconsin. But after a customs agent confiscates his cherished pet bird, Beo, Stroszek begins a downward spiral into culture shock and surreality as he experiences the dark underbelly of the American dream. (Cinéma du Parc)
(more)Reviews (2)
Three lost souls from West Germany set out to America hoping for a better life, being clueless about the impossibility to break free from the vicious circle of bitterness. The film is infused with a strong atmosphere of human alienation, underlined by Bruno S.’s presence in the title role (in spite of being a non-actor, his naturalness speaks for itself). In the second half of the movie, depression reaches bizarre extremes with every passing minute. We may think, at first sight, that Stroszek is a relatively conventional drama, but its crazy conclusion proves us wrong. The chicken will keep dancing in my head for a very long time after the viewing!
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The film certainly has an impact, but for me, it was just a bit too inaccessible in terms of what it was trying to convey. It communicates the idea of the "American Dream" and its true nature, but I simply couldn't identify with the characters in any way and kept my distance from them. It might be intentional to emphasize the idea, but it just didn't sit right with me.
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