The Crappiness of Things

Life is Beautiful! At least that's what cinema keeps suggesting to us. But the reality is often unfortunately quite different. Because sometimes life just sucks, to say the least. And the new film by Belgian Felix Van Groeningen tells us about this "shitness of things".

The childhood of Gunther Strobbe (Kenneth Vanbaeden) is anything but rosy. His father (Koen De Graeve) is a drunken good-for-nothing, and his three uncles, with whom he also lives, have no real talents or to offer except for constant boozing and nude biking. Only Gunther's loving grandmother (Gilda de Bal) occasionally brings something like light into Gunther's life. Twenty years later, as a grown man (Valentijn Dhaenens), he realizes that the shadows of his childhood still haunt him and make it impossible for him to lead a happy, successful life, and he must face the ghosts of the past to avoid becoming like his father. But whether it's not already too late for that...?

"The Crappiness of Things" is a strange little film, at times absurdly funny, at others laced with filthy dreariness. Often it's just repulsive, full of moments of extreme strangeness and too close to reality to be truly entertaining. But at the same time, the redneck behavior of Gunther's family exerts a certain fascination, which is why it's hard to escape what's happening on screen.

But to whom should a film like this be recommended? Who should pay to be shown how dirty, primitive, selfish and stupid ordinary people can be, what alcohol, unemployment and lack of perspective can do to society? On the other hand, the film offers some very memorable moments and very good actors who embody their roles in an almost frighteningly believable way. With its mix of laconic humor and occasionally hard-hitting sadness, "The Crappiness of Things" is pretty damn close to life - and perhaps this is precisely where the bittersweet drama's fascination lies, and the reason that the film is thoroughly recommendable for lovers of somewhat outlandish arthouse fare, despite its many unpleasant moments.

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp