Funny Games (1997)

Directed by: Michael Haneke | 103 minutes | crime, drama, thriller | Actors: Susanne Lothar, Ulrich Mühe, Arno Frisch, Frank Giering, Stefan Clapczynski, Doris Kunstmann, Christoph Bantzer, Wolfgang Glück, Susanne Meneghel, Monika Zallinger

You would prefer not to meet him at a cozy family barbecue, but in the cinema he is a revelation: we are talking about the melancholy Austrian Michael Haneke. The pessimistic cinematographer does not make the most uplifting films, but his top-heavy productions always conceal essential questions that tell something about the world in which we live. Likewise in ‘Funny Games’. Although the title suggests otherwise, there is nothing funny about this movie.

A German family decides to vacation in their bungalow by a large lake. Mother Anna (Lothar), father Georg (Mühe) and son Georgie are busy unpacking their things when suddenly young Paul (Frisch) and Peter (Giering) are at the door. Although the boys behave very politely, it turns out that behind the soft faces of the duo, two psychopathic monsters are hiding. For no reason, the two begin torturing the family. As the victims desperately search for an explanation for the behavior of their uninvited guests, the situation grows grim.

Hard and grim: those are the keywords for ‘Funny Games’. Haneke spares you no moment and confronts you with one horrific scene after another. While you and the family search for motives or motives for the actions of the very young psychopaths, the situation escalates more and more.

Slowly, more and more aggressive emotions bubble up among the perpetrators and the victims’ powerlessness increases. The violence shown is relatively mild compared to violent films, thrillers and horror films. Haneke knows how to portray the violence in a very oppressive and nauseating way by emphasizing the consequences of the violent eruptions.

The at first sight polite and neat boys turn out to be capable of monstrous deeds. The director masterfully uses society’s superficial thoughts by portraying the perpetrators as charming, polite boys who look perfectly normal. An inventive casting that works out well in this production. By deliberately not using ugly people who are just ‘mean’, but by portraying apparently normal figures as ‘bad guys’, he completely undermines the standard (Hollywood) film logic. The somewhat scruffy Peter and the sympathetic-looking Paul could have been your neighbours.

Haneke addresses our obsession with violence in ‘Funny Games’. Why do we enjoy violent movies so much? The grosser or bloodier the movie, the better. Why do we empathize with characters like ‘Rambo’ who use violence as a solution to solve their problems and why do we identify with armed movie heroes?

With his 1997 film, Haneke makes a statement in which he shows his disgust at the glorification of violence. ‘Funny Games’ shows that there is nothing heroic or beautiful about aggression. By focusing on the consequences of brutal violence and intimidation, the film gets a very gloomy atmosphere. When the perpetrators finally turn to the camera, look you straight in the eye and ask if you enjoy all the blood, Haneke confronts his audience with their bloodlust. “Should we stop? you can’t do that, you want a believable ending, don’t you?” says one of the perpetrators when he turns to you, the voyeur.

The cast is particularly impressive. Lothar and Frisch are especially convincing as a terrified mother and an enigmatic killer, respectively. The acting of the actors is natural and unbothered. The way in which Haneke has built up his film is oppressive. After an idyllic start, the film picks up speed and one horrific moment after another is fired at you.

The unpredictability of the perpetrators and the situation makes ‘Funny Games’ an exciting, but difficult to digest film. The production leaves you stunned with a head full of questions and a cramped feeling in your stomach. ‘Funny Games’ is not subtle, but that is not a blow with a golf club either. Painfully relevant and outrageously wry: these are Haneke’s views of ‘funny games’. Why not invite this Austrian for your annual barbecue?