Edge of heaven (2007)

* * * *

A Turkish/German fusion film that follows six diverse characters through multiple timelines. It is quite complex and involves a political message which, sadly being from Britain, is somewhat lost on me.

The director, Fatih Akin, clearly wanted to reward the keener film viewers as throughout there were subtle nuances, such as mimicked scenes, which show how carefully he constructed his film. He also makes sure that the countries in which he sets his film (Germany and Turkey) are fully represented; both the beautiful and the gritty. He manages to back his complex and deep narrative with a well shot film; both these skills are generally lacking in modern cinema so it is nice to see it rekindled.

The story is controlled well, as it involves lives crossing over, and this can involve a lot of annoyance for the audience as the coincidences can become too numerous and transparently choreographed.  These character crossings, however, do not become tedious and overdone. Instead there is a steady build and it is only towards the very end that the audience begins to feel the need to throw things at the screen in frustration at the characters’ closeness to one another.

This film was a delightful surprise as when you mention subtitles, politics and a complex plot within the same film this can be daunting to a lot of people. Compared to my preconceptions this film was completely accessible to anyone who watches it. It has the perfect mix of indie/European cinema and the more common and marketable qualities.