NAKED

Germany, 2002, 100 minutes, Colour.
Heike Makatsch, Benno Furmann, Alexandra Maria Lahrer, Jurgen Vogel, Nina Hoss, Mehmet Kurtulus.
Directed by Doris Dorrie.

Naked is a film about thirtysomethings in Berlin at the beginning of the 21st century. It focuses on six people who interact. There is a great deal of talk, dialogue expressing the attitudes and beliefs of adults at this stage of their life. They reflect about their past, worry about their present and future.

The film is similar to many of those on these themes, for example Barbara Albert’s Fallen or, from the 1980s, The Big Chill.

The film has a strong cast, many award winners including Nina Hoss who won best actress in Berlin 2007 for Yella.

The film was written and directed by Doris Dörrie, a prolific writer and film-maker.

1. Impact of the drama, comedy, comedy of manners, morals? Soul-searching, marriage and relationships?

2. The structure of the film: each of the three couples and their conflicts and relationships? The dinner, the discussions, the game of identification? Looking at the three couples in reverse order, the fights, the reconciliations? The glimpse of each of the three happy at the end? The final credits with the paper bags over their heads?

3. The significance of the title, naked souls, naked emotions? The identification game with naked bodies?

4. Amelia and Felix, their having broken up, their lack of money, Felix and his not having a job, memories of being a waiter? His relationship with Amelia, their separations, the affairs? Amelia walking out on Felix? His still needing her? His adolescent emotional dependency? His arrival, their discussions, clashes? The truth about relationships after the break-up? His helping her to get ready, shaving her legs? Her choosing the dress? The softening of the relationship?

5. Boris and Annette, the bickering, the petulance? Annette and her self-preoccupation? Boris and his attention to Annette? The discussions about Dylan, his wealth? Whether to go to the dinner or not? The phone call from Amelia, Annette changing her dress? Boris and his choices? His going into the room and locking the door, her wondering if this was the beginning of the end? The small incident that led to bigger ones? The adult nature of their relationship, adolescent feelings, arguments?

6. Charlotte and Dylan, their wealth, in the kitchen, his putting the cream into the meat, her anger, throwing into the fish-pond? The tensions between the two? Audiences knowing he had an affair with Amelia? The preparation of the dinner, Charlotte and her insecurity, changing her dress, conscious of their wealth, the impact on Amelia and Annette, putting on the jeans? Dylan and his rather calmer attitude? Their love, antagonisms?

7. The arrival for the dinner, the discussions, the ducks coming from the restaurant and their not telling the guests? The pairings at the table, the conversation? The singing of the songs? The discussions of when each of them was happy, mainly simple things, nature, people? The snowflake, the old couples in their wedding dresses at the party etc?

8. The transition to the game, Amelia and her research, recognition, Felix and his making the bets? The reason for their going for the dare? Amelia and Felix judging, manipulation? The couples, feeling each other, the lack of recognition, the reactions afterwards? The aftermath of the dinner?

9. Charlotte and Dylan and their arguments, the seeming break-up of the marriage? The possibilities of reconciliation, understanding? The riding of the bike at the end? Boris and Annette, the discussions in the street, the tensions, talking about them, the reconciliation and the kiss? Felix and Amelia, her getting into bed, his wanting to stay, her rejecting him, his wanting to play the recognition game, their having to separate and then come together again?

10. The songs for each couple in the opening sequences? The paper bags over the head and the memories of the past happy days? Typical thirtysomethings of the turn of the century, importance of commitment, love, sexuality? Immature attitudes, airing the difficulties, understanding, a basis for deeper relationships? The hope of the film?