BAREFOOT (Barfuss) (2005) - ♦♦♦♦

Directed by - Til Schweiger

Written by - Til Schweiger, Jann Preuss, Nicola von Altenstadt, Stephen Zotnowski

Starring - Til Schweiger, Johanna Wokalek

"Internationally acclaimed German actor Til Schweiger also occasionally makes stints behind the camera. These films often struggle to find success beyond home turf. Certainly one of his most successful directorial works was 2005's Barefoot, in which he also played lead as a hedonistic bachelor who falls for an escaped mental patient. 

The film is rather structured and predictably dishonest in its generalistic portrayal of love and relationships, yet particularly balanced in its portrayal of the delicate figure of the woman suffering from a precarious mental condition. 

To its credit, Barefoot is also held together by the great chemistry shared by Til Schweiger and Johanna Wokalek - the latter particularly impressive in showing great control over even the great physical aspects of her role's requirements. Furthermore, Schweiger's film is also genuinely entertaining and funny because of its modern spin on the aura of screwball comedies, that feeds off of and understand its odd leading couple. 

Despite its fair share of obnoxiously sugary moments, considering other works of the kind, Barefoot is also quite daring a gritty, rewarding the viewer with occasional stints on the darker sides of the story, thus preventing it from feeling empty and shallow. "

Drama, Germany