Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
The Year I Lost My Mind is about Tom, who becomes obsessed with a man after breaking into his apartment and finding him asleep.
Tom (Alexander Tsypilev) is a loner who has a thing for masks and anonymity. His only friend, Rachid (Patrick G. Boll), is also his partner in crime. One night they break into an apartment to find its occupant, Lars (Julien Lickert), asleep in his underwear. Tom is intrigued by Lars as he sleeps and the homoerotic painting hanging on his bedroom wall. After leaving the apartment, Tom finds himself obsessing over Lars, and soon begins stalking him.
And as Tom stalks Lars, he starts breaking into his apartment on a regular basis, spending more time with each visit. How long will it be before he’s caught?
Some Thoughts:
The Year I lost My Mind is an art house film filled with suspense and beautiful imagery. The story deals with anonymity and sexual desire. When Tom isn’t committing crimes or stalking Lars, he visits gay cruising areas and at one point has sex with a stranger while wearing a mask.
Despite having very little dialog, the film manages to get it’s point across with mood and visuals. Tom’s interest in masks is a kink, and one that he takes outside of the bedroom. He gets aroused when he sees another man in biker gear and a helmet and another man in an art installation wearing a furry costume.
Tom’s character is developed further in scenes with his mother (Astrid Kohrs). Although the film does a good job defining who Tom is, it never explains why he came to be so reclusive or his need for anonymity.
Sexuality is pervasive in The Year I Lost My Mind, especially when it comes to Lars, who is openly gay and brings men to his apartment for sex. Lars is also used to build suspense, especially when he starts to notice that something is off, and that he’s missing various clothing items.
It’s obvious where the film is going, and the conclusion is far from shocking. Luckily director Tor Iben knows how to frame a shot and set the mood.
The Final Verdict:
As an art house movie, The Year I Lost My Mind is enjoyable despite an ending that can been seen a mile away. And although Tom’s character is well defined, it would help if the film took more time explaining how he came to be so reclusive.