The Rectangular View

The Story:

Free Fall is a drama about a German police officer whose homosexual desires are awakened after a kiss from a fellow officer. It almost sounds like fairy tale, but there’s much more to it.

Marc Borgmann (Hanno Koffler) is balancing his commitment to his pregnant girlfriend, Bettina (Katharina Schüttler), and the physical exertions of riot training. When he meets Kay Engel (Max Riemelt), a man who plays against the rules, he’s seduced by Kay’s sense of danger. Although Marc and Kay start hanging out, Marc keeps their newfound friendship to himself. And when Kay surprises Marc with a kiss on the lips, Marc finds that he can’t stop thinking about him.

As Marc and Kay’s relationship deepens, his need to hide increases and soon his life begins to spiral downward. The situation becomes even more difficult to manage when Marc’s mother sees him kissing Kay.

The hyper masculine setting of the police force is in every aspect of Marc and Kay’s life, even in the way they have sex. It’s hot, steamy, and filled with machismo. The setting of the police force, which is ripe with homophobia and sexism, is yet another reason for Marc and Kay to keep their relationship a secret. Even Kay, with all his bravado, knows enough to keep his sexual identity hidden.

This is a story about discovery, sexual awakening, and the effects of hiding the truth from those you love. Much like real life, there are no good or bad guys in Free Fall. These are people trying to maneuver through a bad situation.

Schüttler does a great job showing the range of Bettina’s emotions as she tries to make sense of Marc’s growing secretiveness and lack of physical contact. She’s easy to sympathize with, especially since she’s pregnant with their child. If I had to choose a “good guy” in Free Fall, it would be Bettina.

The script is tight, the characters are deeply flawed, and the acting throughout makes it believable. Both Koffler and Riemelt look the part and have a sexual chemistry that heats up the screen.

Final Thoughts:

Director Stephan Lacant knows the story he wants to tell and does a great job holding it together while keeping it moving at a steady pace.