THE FOUR OF US/ DU, SIE, ER & WIE

Germany, 2021, 88 minutes, Colour.

Nilam Farooq, Louis Nitsche, Jonas Nay, Paula Kalenberg, Tim Oliver Schultz.

Directed by Florian Gottschick.

A German film, a combination of tongue in cheek and serious themes.

The premise of the story is that two couples are persuaded to change partners for a month, an experiment. However, it is been masterminded by one of the participants, wanting to be the subject of a special feature she would write for a magazine and get promotion. The other three do not realise this.

We are introduced briefly to each of the four characters, establishing their personalities and style. Then they will go to the holiday house, the rendezvous for the reunion and assessment of the experiment.

One of the difficulties is that in the change, one new pair have fallen in love and the woman wants a separation from her former partner. The other complication is a pregnancy test and an indication that the journalist is now pregnant – putting pressure on the new partner. However, further complication when the original partner declares that he is unable to have children.

Some comedy, some angers, some criticisms, some challenges – and a postscript indicating that the two new partners are now pregnant, that the man unable to have children, an actor, now appears in a soap opera resembling something of what he went through, and the journalist has achieved her promotion.

1. The premise of the story, the two couples, changing partners for a month, an experiment, friendships and love, the culmination of the month?
2. The contemporary German city, views, the river, buildings, apartments, the magazine editorial? The contrast with the countryside, the roads, the fields, the house, the beach and the water? The musical score?
3. The introduction to each of the characters, Nils, the child and the drawing, and, to claiming, the camera, rehearsing, Maria, busy with the shopping, Janine, her role in the office, possible promotion, the relationship with Anton? The boss and Anton going to the awards ceremony, the later picture?
4. The ages of the characters, Maria and Nils together, Janine and Ben together?
5. The situation at the house, tensions, wanting to tell the truth? Maria, the relationship with Ben, love, breaking with Nils? Nils, self-assured, the touch of the cynic? Ben, the relationship with Janine? Janine and her organising of the experiment?
6. The drama is during the night, Maria and her angers, discovering the pregnancy test, two possible fathers, Nils and his reaction, Ben and the revelation about his inability to father a child? Janine, tantrums, vomiting at the table, cleaning up? The night, lying down, the conversations? Janine disappearing, Ben upset, going on to the beach, the search, her turning up after jogging, Nils and Ben and the fight in the water?
7. In the sauna, the discussions about attractions, relationships, imagination, Ben and Nils and the kiss?
8. The news that Nils was about to propose to Maria? The effect on her? The break up between Ben and Janine? Maria and Ben?
9. The phone call, the editor of the magazine, the revelation that Janine had set everything up, no pregnancy?
10. The group going off, Ben on his own, Maria and Nils together?
11. Nils and Maria watching the television, her being pregnant, then the soap opera and reflecting the testing? Janine and her promotion?
12. And the comic recollections during the final credits?