New film by Marcel Gisler: a gay writer has to look after his stubborn mother – almost missing out on true love.

Picture gallery

She smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish and is enjoying her widowhood to the fullest. Rosie, a willful old lady, won’t be pushed around. She manages her daily life by herself, enjoying wine and smoking, until she has a slight stroke on the train. Rosie’s gay son Lorenz (Fabian Krüger), a somewhat successful writer, appears to help his sister Sophie (Judith Hofmann) look after her.

Gentle drama about love, the lies of life and guardianship, by the director of F. est un salaud, Marcel Gisler. Gisler’s sensitivity shines through, as do autobiographical elements of the plot, but the small-town story gets stuck in its own sweetness – it is almost too balanced, fussy and conciliatory. A slightly harsher approach would have done the movie some good. But the movie is saved by Sibylle Brunner’s amazing performance – she makes it worth seeing.