In the Aisles

In the Aisles is a captivating German drama directed by Thomas Stuber that made its debut in 2018. Screened at prestigious film festivals like the Berlin International Film Festival, this quietly observant film won many hearts with its earnest and understated narrative. The film features talented performances by actors like Andreas Leupold, Franz Rogowski, and Peter Kurth.

In the realm of emotionally nuanced European cinema, In the Aisles stands out as a warm, heartfelt piece. The film focuses on the lives of everyday people, making heroes out of ordinary individuals striving to find happiness, companionship, and purpose even in humdrum routines. The narrative occurs predominantly within the confining industrial, yet strangely comforting expanse of a large, wholesale supermarket on the outskirts of an anonymous city in Eastern Germany.

Franz Rogowski plays Christian, the new shift worker in the beverages aisle. Christian is a quiet, reserved character, a man belabored by his past who is attempting to start afresh. He is trained by Bruno, a forever-in-controlling-middle-manager portrayed by Peter Kurth, who guides him through the labyrinthine aisles and teaches him to manage a heavy forklift. Bruno, an old hand at the supermarket follows a traditional belief in rules and order, and he embodies both the warmth and harshness of the old and steadily declining world.

Unfolding gradually in a world governed by tasks, obligations, and routines, In the Aisles presents an accurate representation of the monotony and repetitiveness of manual labor. Despite these day-to-day trials and tribulations, the supermarket staff forms an odd kind of family, sharing moments of camaraderie and moments of melancholy, reflecting poignant snippets of human life.

Christian soon becomes besotted with Marion, portrayed by Sandra Hüller, who works in the confectionery section. Marion, a woman with her share of life's sorrows, reciprocates, and they share a playful yet understated relationship based on shared glances, brief conversations, and little moments of connection that illuminate their otherwise mundane daily lives.

The complex character dynamics and fraternities that form in this supermarket milieu serve as a remarkable backdrop to a touching love story that unfolds in whispers rather than grand gestures. The narrative is characterized by an almost palpable sense of yearning - for human connection, for meaning, for escape - that underlines each character’s individual arc.

The film displays a rich tapestry of emotions – love, friendship, jealousy, grief – rendered beautifully through powerful and subtle performances by the lead actors. Franz Rogowski, in particular, delivers an emotionally charged portrayal of Christian’s quiet intensity and his deep longing for Marion. Accompanied by stunning performances by Peter Kurth and Sandra Hüller, the cast brings to life the core themes of the story with considerable skill and nuance.

Visually, In the Aisles takes an almost contemplative approach to cinematography, employing an array of soft, muted tones, that enhance the mundane, gloomy feel of the supermarket setting, while also skillfully capturing its subtle charm. The film’s score underlines the narrative with familiarity and depth, at times supplementing the quiet melancholy permeating the aisles, and at other times punctuating the overall mood with whimsical, folk-like tunes.

Stuber's patient and empathetic lens towards his characters totally avoids any form of melodrama, focusing more on the characters and their stories. He deftly examines the themes of love, loneliness, and the human craving for intimacy and connection in the least pretentious and most profound manner.

In a nutshell, In the Aisles is an instance of modern European cinema at its finest. It’s a beautifully observed piece that navigates the monotony and melancholy of human existence with a tender, compassionate gaze, while also offering profound insights into the human ability to find beauty, to love, and to cherish even amidst the most mundane and often challenging aspects of life. It’s a film that lingers in the memory, its richly drawn characters and understated narrative evoking a sense of bittersweet poignancy that is both touching and thought-provoking. If you appreciate cinema that takes its time to carefully develop its characters and to explore the profundity of human emotions, In the Aisles is a film that is sure to resonate with you.

Consider In the Aisles a richly woven and layered tapestry of seemingly ordinary lives, steeped in subtext. It’s a film that compels you to pause, ponder, and in the process, understand the human conditions better. You’re bound to come out of this enriching cinematic experience with a better understanding of and empathy towards the people you meet in the varied aisles of everyday life.