Salto for beginners

Bella (Martina Haag) dreams of making a career as an actress. Too bad there are hardly any good roles for single women around 40. And so Bella struggles through life more badly than well and constantly burnt out. In order to get the one or other acting job, Bella embellishes her résumé with such small details as her alleged acrobatic talent. And indeed, the unbelievable happens: the legendary Ingmar Bergman, of all people, is looking for an actress with her talents for his new production at the Royal Playhouse in Stockholm. And of course Bella doesn't let such an opportunity pass her by - even if she can barely turn a somersault...

Martina Haag, who also wrote the screenplay for "Salto für Anfänger" based on her own novel, carries this film with a confident charm that quickly transfers to the audience as well. Although her life is actually anything but positive, Bella never gives up and makes her way through life with an almost childlike naivety. The way she tries to fight her way out of the mess she gets into because of this naive behavior is very charming and amusing to watch. However, some of this charm is lost due to the somewhat bored-sounding dubbing voice that Bella has been given, which is a real shame.

Aside Martina Haag, a well-performed and even better harmonizing ensemble plays, with "Nachtwache" star Nikolay Coster-Waldau standing out in particular. A successful actor and womanizer, Coster-Waldau delivers an almost self-deprecating performance, with the chemistry between his Micke and Haag's Bella coming across as believable.

But the likeable actors and the amusing and entertaining script can not hide the fact that "Salto for beginners" is on balance no more - but also no less - than nice entertainment, as you see it not only in the cinema, but already on television again and again. Now, that's not necessarily to be seen negatively, as the entertainment value isn't really affected by it. But you are left with the feeling that it would be enough to watch this nice comedy during a cozy TV evening. Still, if you like small, charming movies that are rather aimed at a female cinema audience, you will surely enjoy Bella's attempts to impress the great Ingmar Bergman. Nice and therefore well worth seeing

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp