Breathing
An incarcerated young man finds a tentative route toward redemption through morgue work, swimming, and the painful acceptance of his past.
Overview
A young man grapples with his past while working in a morgue, seeking redemption and a fresh start.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- austere
- melancholic
- intimate
- quiet evening
- arthouse film night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a restrained, humane Austrian drama whose strong central performance and social-realist direction give emotional weight to a familiar rehabilitation story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Roman works at a morgue and attempts to construct a new life while confronting the consequences of his juvenile crime.
The morgue, prison, swimming pool, and work routines frame Roman's rehabilitation through subdued, grounded encounters.
Roman's work with the dead repeatedly brings him into contact with guilt and shame surrounding the crime he committed.
Swimming and the swimming pool recur alongside Roman's effort to rebuild his identity beyond imprisonment.
Films like Breathing, and why
The Shawshank Redemption
shared themes of rehabilitation, guilt, and an incarcerated protagonist pursuing a fragile path toward reintegration
The Son
shared austere realism, moral ambiguity, and close attention to the psychological consequences of crime
The Selfish Giant
shared European social realism, restrained emotion, and a marginalized young person seeking renewal
Movie Details
- Director
- Karl Markovics
- Release Date
- 2011-09-30
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (54)
Cast
- Thomas Schubert
- Karin Lischka
- Georg Friedrich
- Gerhard Liebmann
- Stefan Matousch
- Luna Mijović
- Georg Veitl
- Klaus Rott
- Peter Raffalt
- Reinhold G. Moritz
Common questions
- What is Breathing about?
- An incarcerated young man finds a tentative route toward redemption through morgue work, swimming, and the painful acceptance of his past.
- What is Breathing like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Breathing as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Breathing violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Breathing as mild.
- What did critics think of Breathing?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a restrained, humane Austrian drama whose strong central performance and social-realist direction give emotional weight to a familiar rehabilitation story.
- Which films are like Breathing?
- Films with a similar feel include The Shawshank Redemption, The Son, and The Selfish Giant.
- How long is Breathing?
- Breathing runs 90 minutes.
