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★★★★★
12 August 2018
A movie review of IN THE AISLES. |
“You’re forklifting like a lunatic, because you’re in love,” Bruno (Peter Kurth)
The night shift at a hypermarket in the middle of nowhere. In less skilled hands this could have been preachy kitchen sink drama, or dull pseudo-fly-on-the-wall storytelling. Instead it is a type of film I long for. IN THE AISLES is the opposite of reality TV. It is recognition of the dignity of ordinary lives. Told with flair about understated camaraderie and romance. It reminds a little of Ken Loach’s LOOKING FOR ERIC (2009) and Sean Ellis’s CASHBACK (2006). TULLY, earlier this year, also wanted to talk about the everyday existence. There is room for sombre movies about society; trickle-down economics has completely failed, yet continues, and its repercussions need to be discussed.
The night shift at a hypermarket in the middle of nowhere. In less skilled hands this could have been preachy kitchen sink drama, or dull pseudo-fly-on-the-wall storytelling. Instead it is a type of film I long for. IN THE AISLES is the opposite of reality TV. It is recognition of the dignity of ordinary lives. Told with flair about understated camaraderie and romance. It reminds a little of Ken Loach’s LOOKING FOR ERIC (2009) and Sean Ellis’s CASHBACK (2006). TULLY, earlier this year, also wanted to talk about the everyday existence. There is room for sombre movies about society; trickle-down economics has completely failed, yet continues, and its repercussions need to be discussed.
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Johann Strauss’s ‘The Blue Danube’ waltz plays over proceedings as we see a pristine store without its customers. The evocation of 2001: A SPACY ODYSEEY (1968) is unlikely to be a coincidence. Wonder should not just be reserved to the undiscovered country of space. The film constantly reminds to cherish the smallest of things. Something does not have to be shiny and expensive to be valuable.
IN THE AISLES uses the newbie narrative device as our way into a particular working culture. Here, one does not mind about the hackneyed story tool, as the abundance of charm is nicely underplayed. Christian (Franz Rogowski - VICTORIA) starts as a night stocker under Bruno (Peter Kurth – A FRIEND OF MINE). The place is so cavernous as to feel like a warehouse rather than a supermarket. Harmless petty workplace politics is humorously portrayed. “Forklift conflicts” inter-department rivalry is hardly widely encountered, yet comes across as universal. Compare and contrast Milton’s stapler in OFFICE SPACE (1999).
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The entire team are genial. Taciturn Christian immediately bonds with his patient line manager, and is drawn quickly to a colleague, Marion (Sandra Hüller – TONI ERDMANN). The burgeoning romance between the latter and Christian is achingly minimalist. There is so little touching between the two that this could be a Bollywood entanglement. So, IN THE AISLES plays deftly with love, it also does such with an antagonist. There is a villain but he is never met. The real villain is society allowing people to fall through the cracks. This is a real step up for director Thomas Stuber. His A HEAVY HEART (2015) was sub-THE WRESTLER (2008). Here he makes his mark impressively.
IN THE AISLES balances life’s highs with moments of real sadness. There is an exploration of isolation, waste and hopelessness. Yet, I did not emerge from the experience in despair. That this film exists provides some hope.
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