Roland E. Zwick Similar in style and tone to last year's "Blue Valentine," the German film "Everyone Else" provides us with an oblique look at a troubled relationship. Though the couple in this film does not seem as overtly unhappy as the one in the American work, there is still something clearly eating away at their relationship. The most admirable aspect of the screenplay by Maren Ade is that it doesn't throw easy labels onto either the characters or the problems they're facing. The movie is really more a piece of objective reportage chronicling their lives over the course of a few days than a plot- and theme-driven narrative leading us to a preordained conclusion about them as people.Chris (Lars Eidinger) is a gifted but apparently not very successful architect, while Gitti (Birgit Minichmayr), his girlfriend, who works in the recording business, seems to be generally supportive of his efforts. Chris and Gitti are spending a relaxing vacation at his mother's home on the Mediterranean, when Gitti begins to off-handedly question Chris's masculinity (we assume that it has more to do with his lack of initiative and drive than with his personal mannerisms). In response, Chris begins to treat Gitti in an ever more callous fashion, trying to prove her wrong by acting in the dismissive and domineering way he assumes "real" men do, and in the way, if Gitta is any indication, women apparently want them to.But this synopsis really only covers the tip of the iceberg, for there are clearly many more complex dynamics taking place within this relationship that are not so easily delineated and described. Suffice it to say that the movie explores the myriad elements that go into relationships, and does so without spelling them out in simplistic terms and without passing judgment on the characters. The parameters within which any relationship must be set are still evolving and fluid in the case of Chris and Gitti, and this leads to much pushing of the boundaries and behavioral experimentation on the part of the couple throughout the course of the film. Ade's direction is unobtrusive and observational in nature, which allows the actors to interact with one another in a quasi-improvisational and thus wholly believable fashion.There is, however, a definite downside to this type of storytelling – "Blue Valentine" suffered from it as well – and that is that the motivations for the characters' actions are often so murky and inexplicable that they can seem downright arbitrary to those of us who are watching all of this unfold from the outside in. That's why Chris and Gitti strike us as being more weird and annoying – if not downright daffy - than anything else at times.Thus, your initial response might be to assume that perhaps Chris and Gitti simply aren't meant for one another and that they might think about looking elsewhere for a relationship. But, then again, if it were that easy to get out of a troubled relationship, we'd have no need in the first place for films like "Everyone Else."

vitaleralphlouis You'll need an attention span greater than 4 seconds to enjoy this movie. The entire story focuses on a young unmarried German couple on a business/vacation in Sardinia, interacting with a very few other people. They talk to each other, paw each other, consider the other person's flaws and assets; magnetically in love and pondering the long term. It would serve no purpose adding many details, except.....Gitti is showing lots of leg in the opening shots and --- not to give away the plot, but --- the legs remain in view for 110 minutes of this 119 minute movie.The sex theme is entirely hetro-sexual -- a refreshing change in 2010 and why we chose this one over "Sex and the City 2." Also good was the exciting and wonderful man-above scene, normally maligned in movies in preference to the preferred slamming the girl against a wall method.A good 6/10 movie but no reason why this picture ought to have received any awards or undue praise. The 3rd German movie we've seen in 2010, the other two (Woman of Berlin, North Face) were better.

kvwielink Saw this movie during the Bangkok film festival. Unfortunately after 4 great movies, this 5th and final one was a huge disappointment. This is probably one of the slowest movies I've ever seen. Long silences punctuate boring, long-winding conversations that seem to go on forever. After a while, the theme begins to repeat itself. Quarrels over trivial things between a very introvert guy and a girl who apparently enjoys throwing the odd tantrum. This basically goes on for 2 hours. As already pointed out in another comment, at the end of the movie you start to wonder if the girl has some serious mental issues. The acting is not bad, but I wouldn't call it special. At the end of the movie, you're left confused, not really understanding what the point of the story was. The ending is abrupt, and if one would actually be interested in the story at all it would leave one with an unsatisfactory finale. Why this movie won the Silver Bear in Berlin is a mystery to me. In my opinion watching it was a waste of time.

jos-105 great actors, smart dialogs and a very precise observations of a young professional society in Germany. one of the best German films in a long time made by a director who knows how to direct great actors. people who like theatre will love this movie. when i went to this movie i expected a German version of a french movie from directors like francois ozon. i also expected it to be a typical movie made from a woman for women. still i expected a lot because the actors count to the best ones of German theatre. the movie did not turn out the way i expected it. the questions it raises about creative achievers who want to stay independent, free and young are shameless and razor sharp. every scene is observed very precisely without seeming to be constructed. gitty (birgit minichmayr) might not be as strong as many might hope but she never looses the main focus of this movie: authenticity