FADO

Germany/Portugal, 2016, 101 minutes, Colour.
Golo Euler, Luise Heyer, Albano Jeronimo.
Directed by Jonas Rothlander.

Fado is a film about jealousy, jealousy becoming a consuming obsession. It is fairly straightforward in its presentation of its central character, his life, his love, his jealousy, its overpowering him, the consequences for the object of his obsession, rivals, and for himself.

The film is set in Lisbon, taking great advantage of the sights of the city, its daily life and work, construction, medical care for street people as well is for nightlife. It has views of the countryside and local beaches.

The central character is Fabian, a young doctor working in Germany who attends a wounded woman who reminds him of Doro, who has broken up with him and gone to work in Portugal. He tries to save the wounded woman but fails and is so consumed with the effect that he travels to Lisbon to track down Doro, first seeing her with a co-worker, Francisco.

Fabian is an ordinary kind of person, not tall dark and handsome (as is his rival, Francisco) presentable but plain-looking with more touches of awkwardness – even though he likes to surf and has dreams of enormous and boiling surf and waves.

He makes contact with Doro, goes out to a meal with Francisco and another co-worker, and the audience is able to see the simmering suspicions which will lead to open jealousy. While the two do make contact and resume their relationship, there is an unease with both, she exasperated with his suspicions in the past and finding tension with his suspicions in the present.He is in love with her but cannot rid himself of suspecting Francisco, who is married with children, and even the manager of a bar.

There is discussion at a meal about fidelity, deliberate choosing of an affair to test relationship.

While they try to live together, go on holiday together, Fabian cannot contain himself eventually driving away Doro who has some involvement with Francisco (who plans to go surfing with Fabian but the waves are too timid) and is then involved with the proprietor of bar.

Fabian also lets down the voluntary association he has joined to provide medical help for street people and he is dismissed from the work.

Ultimately, this leads to frenzy, his being bashed on the street and he’s going to the bar and frenzied dancing.

The film serves as a contemporary parable about the destructive elements in jealousy.