Der goldene Handschuh (2019)

Directed by: Fatih Akin | 115 minutes | crime, drama | Actors: Adam Bousdoukos, Jonas Dassler, Marc Hosemann, Margarete Tiesel, Katja Studt, Martina Eitner-Acheampong, Hark Bohm, Tristan Göbel, Tom Hoßbach, Philipp Baltus, Victoria Trauttmansdorff, Laurens Walter, Uwe Rohde, Greta Sophie Schmidt, Jessica Kosmalla

Is ‘Der goldene Handschuh’ a disgusting film, as has already been noted by visitors to the Berlinale? The imaginable reality is disgusting, so this seems like a non-issue to us. We see a heavily made-up serial killer stumbling with a corpse in the opening scenes. Negative connotations certainly matter, as Honka is a monster who cuts his victim to pieces. Not a nihilist like Patrick Bateman in ‘American Psycho’, rather a pathetic eccentric.

Should the actor in question (Jonas Dassler) have been made up as Clouseau in ‘The Return of the Pink Panther’? It is alienating; especially when the sawing off of a head takes place largely off-screen, with schlager music in the background. However, an adequate videographer is at work here, someone who can mix necessary ingredients like an alchemist. And art is alchemy, however you look at it.

Akin (‘Gegen die Wand’) is ascribed social engagement on the basis of the aforementioned success film; let that loose on the biographical depiction of the Hamburg seventies killer Fritz Honka. His grubby, alcoholic life was already described by Heinz Strunk in the 2016 journalistic novel of the same name, Tricky, to capture the man who actually murdered four prostitutes in a novel and then turn it into a film.

Doesn’t appeal to everyone, but isn’t the magnification of reality the essence of drama? Filmers like Mike Leigh also ruthlessly ram into social reality, which can evoke both admiration and disgust. Yes, Honka looks absurdly droll, but also lacks Quasimodo. You might feel empathy for his actions, because of the pitifulness. This Honka is not calculating, rather impotently limited. And that is convincingly presented.

Can we expect more from a filmmaker? Yes, some say: ‘we want interpretation’. No, we say, show us that actions make no sense or logic, because man can be an animal. The romantic wants bells to ring for love, the cynic knows bells to ring for death. The viewer is strong enough to stand in between, whether or not disgusted or beeindruckt, as the German language beautifully puts it.