Michael (2011 film)

Michael
Directed by	Markus Schleinzer
Release date(s)	14 May 2011 (2011-05-14) (Cannes)
Running time	94 minutes
Country	Austria
Language	German

Michael is a 2011 Austrian drama film directed by Markus Schleinzer which resembles the famous Natascha Kampusch case from the offenders viewpoint. It premiered In Competition at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival.^[1]

Plot

Michael secretly keeps 10-year-old boy Wolfgang locked in a room in his soundproof basement, although for the outside world he seems average, having a job in an insurance office and participating in social activities. The film shows Michael washing his genitals after leaving Wolfgang's room, thus more or less confirming to the viewer that he has sex with him. Apart from that they have somewhat a father-son relationship, with Michael sometimes being strict, sometimes caring, and sometimes playful. In the evenings, after Michael locks the door and closes the blinds, Wolfgang is allowed into the living room for dinner and to watch TV. When in hospital after an accident, Michael is in a hurry to be released and return to Wolfgang. When Wolfgang gets sick Michael digs a grave in the woods, as a preparation in case Wolfgang dies. However, he recovers. The boy writes a letter to his parents, to be mailed by Michael, but Michael does not send it and lies to Wolfgang saying his parents don’t want him back.

Sometimes he takes the boy on a pleasure trip outside the town, where people do not know Michael. On one occasional he goes on a skying trip with friends for multiple days, leaving extra food for Wolfgang, who has water, a toilet, simple cooking facilities and a TV in his room.

Since Wolfgang is lonely, Michael promises that another child will arrive, so that he has company. Together they install a double bed in advance. Michael attemps to abduct another boy by luring him away (suggesting how he might have abducted Wolfgang), but the boy is called back by his father, who scolds him for walking off with a stranger. Michael tells Wolfgang that he did not succeed in providing him a friend to keep him company. One day Wolfgang throws boiling water into Michael's face, severely hurting his eyes, but Wolfgang does not succeed in escaping. Michael drives off (perhaps to a doctor) but dies in an accident. After the funeral Michael's mother is about to discover the boy when the film ends.

Cast

• Michael Fuith as Michael
• David Rauchenberger as Wolfgang
• Christine Kain as Mother
• Ursula Strauss as Sister
• Victor Tremmel as Brother-in-law

Production

For one scene an invisible split screen was used to ensure Rauchenberger did not have to participate in a scene where Michael jokingly but inappropriately re-enacts a movie scene which involves exposing his penis to Wolfgang.

Reception

The film was met with mixed critic ratings at Cannes.^[2] While Indiewire's Eric Kohn wrote about "a triumph of uneasy cinema: Not since Todd Solondz's Happiness has a movie portrayed pedophilia in such uncomfortable detail",^[3] veteran Mike D'Angelo twittered "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH EVERYONE IN AUSTRIA. SERIOUSLY. Once again, very well made in the approved festival style, but I understand now exactly how detractors of Funny Games felt. Michael (Schleinzer): 32 (out of 100). Evil is banal. The end. No, wait, let me sadistically fuck with you for a few minutes. Okay, *now* the end".^[4]

References

1. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Official Selection". Cannes. http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/article/58041.html. Retrieved 2011-04-15. 
2. ^ "OtrosCines". OtrosCines. http://micropsia.otroscines.com/2011/05/cannes-2011-michael-de-markus-schleinzer-7-00-2-votos/. Retrieved 2011-05-15. 
3. ^ "Eric Kohn Indiewire". kohn. http://www.filmschoolrejects.com/reviews/cannes-2011-review-markus-schleinzer-michael.php. Retrieved 2011-05-15. 
4. ^ "@gemko Mike D'Angelo Twitter". gemko. http://twitter.com/#!/gemko/. Retrieved 2011-05-15. 

External links

• Michael at the Internet Movie Database