Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- deadpan
- nostalgic
- lazy evening
- german cinema night
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Herr Lehmann treats indifference toward life beyond SO 36 as a personal philosophy, even as relationships and political events disrupt it.
The film immerses viewers in Kreuzberg's bars, artists, students, bohemians, and barflies shortly before the Wall falls.
Political turmoil builds on the other side of the Wall while Lehmann is preoccupied with drinking, Katrin, his parents, and Karl's behavior.
The story emphasizes the enclosed SO 36 neighborhood, its crumbling buildings, bars, and close-knit bohemian microcosm.
Films like Berlin Blues, and why
The Lives of Others
Both are melancholic yet witty portraits of drifting young adults in vividly rendered urban subcultures, balancing comedy with social change.
Soul Kitchen
Shares a warm, bohemian ensemble atmosphere, understated humor, and intimate attention to friendship and everyday life in a changing European city.
Clerks
Comparable for its slacker protagonist, episodic barroom encounters, deadpan comedy, and affectionate depiction of an alternative urban community.
Movie Details
- Director
- Leander Haußmann
- Release Date
- 2003-10-01
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (130)
Cast
- Christian Ulmen
- Katja Danowski
- Detlev Buck
- Janek Rieke
- Uwe Dag Berlin
- Martin Olbertz
- Hartmut Lange
- Margit Bendokat
- Johann Adam Oest
- Annika Kuhl
Common questions
- What is Berlin Blues about?
- A lethargic Kreuzberg barkeeper clings to bohemian inertia as romance, family, friendship, and the approaching fall of the Berlin Wall unsettle his insulated world.
- What is Berlin Blues like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Berlin Blues as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Berlin Blues violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Berlin Blues.
- Which films are like Berlin Blues?
- Films with a similar feel include The Lives of Others, Soul Kitchen, and Clerks.
- How long is Berlin Blues?
- Berlin Blues runs 105 minutes.
