Limitless

When Danny Flinders (Alicia Vikander) and James More (James McAvoy) meet by chance at a remote hotel in Normandy, sparks quickly fly between them. In the picturesque seclusion, they enjoy a romantic getaway before having to return to their real lives. When they have to part ways, they don't know if it will be forever. While Danny sets out to search the ocean floor for answers to the origins of life, James must fight for survival on a mission to Somalia.

With Grenzenlos, Wim Wenders has directed a film that should be great emotional cinema. Not only because of two great actors and some wonderful images, but especially because of the story. It's about two people who find each other, only to have to part again. So far, so familiar. But then life strikes in all its tragedy: James becomes a hostage of jihadists and must expect to be killed at any moment. Only the thought of Danny keeps him from completely giving up hope. But also for the biomathematician the research trip becomes a real test with a very dramatic twist.

All this should actually bring tears to the eyes of the audience constantly and especially at the end. But somehow the film just doesn't seem to be able to do that. There are some really beautiful moments, which are quite touchingly realized. But all in all, Wenders makes the mistake of telling a story that is bursting with emotional power in a rather detached way. He loses himself in an admittedly fascinating visual language and in meaningful symbolism, but a story like this would have needed much more - even if it might have become a bit cheesy then.

Boundless allows its actors to get very good performances out of themselves. But these are simply not supported enough by the director to hit the viewer where the story actually aims at: right in the heart! So the whole thing is somehow not fish and not flesh, but a somewhat tough romantic drama with great actors - but for more than a with cutbacks worth seeing is unfortunately not enough.

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp