Nude (1993)

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Movie
German title Naked
Original title Naked
Country of production Great Britain
original language English
Publishing year 1993
length 132 minutes
Age rating FSK 16
Rod
Director Mike Leigh
script Mike Leigh
production Simon Channing-Williams
music Andrew Dickson
camera Dick Pope
cut Jon Gregory
occupation

Nude is a 1993 UK film directed by Mike Leigh .

content

Mike Leigh's "Nude" tells the story of Johnny, who is a worn-out, restless young guy with no money or job looking for a place to stay with his ex-girlfriend Louise. To offend Louise, he starts a relationship with Sophie, who lives with Louise. But neither Louise nor Sophie stop Johnny from wandering the city. There he meets various characters with whom he discusses and on whom he wants to impose his wisdom. As fate would have it, Johnny had happy moments, but bad luck followed him; he is beaten up and constantly turned away. This causes Johnny to go back to Louise and Sophie.

Embedded in the story of Johnny, who is poor and on the edge of the social abyss, the character of the rich, career-obsessed, politically incorrect Jeremy G. Smart, who is by no means “smart”, appears in the film; he pretends to be a real estate agent and rapes Sophie. This extremely obnoxious character is in contrast to Johnny's story.

effect

David Thewlis as Johnny was honored for his acting performance at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival. In his role he is more unlucky than lucky. The language Johnny uses is characterized by sarcasm and an overrated self-confidence. Often in his explanations about the view of things a “can you follow me?” Are woven in. A phrase that shows that Johnny is more know-it-all than having real knowledge. The film captivates more through the mood it conveys than through the content. The mood is kept by the music that runs through the film; as well as a degree of drama and melancholy mixed with hopelessness, portrayed in Johnny's situation. This is also how the title should be understood. “Naked” as being at the mercy of defenseless people in an emotionally cold, misanthropic environment. This is the only way to understand Johnny's behavior as a reaction to an emotionally cold, hostile world, and to survive naked outside is hopeless. So Johnny fails in his endeavor to gain a foothold and to establish contact in a hostile environment in which every human being, like in a cocoon, only has the view of himself and his selfish needs. In this way a nihilistic view of the things in life comes to light, which however, in the interplay with interpersonal relationships, creates hope and trust again. Mike Leigh's "Nude" aims to highlight social grievances and generally criticizes social differences. Using Johnny as an example, the film shows that someone from the lower class suffers existential hardship, while a Jeremy G. Smart on the one hand does not have problems like Johnny, they don't interest him and on the other hand he despises such people.

Reviews

Thomas Koebner (Ed.): Film directors, entry: Mike Leigh, p. 406, published by Reclam: “[...] an excruciating study of loneliness: the story of the unemployed, socially isolated and misogynistic Johnny and the relationship he has with the Drug addict Sophie entertains. They lack a family, friendly contacts, a home. The pitiful relationship that relaxes between the two is almost too painful to watch. The film was shot mostly at night, its bluish-gray, high-contrast images make things look even more bleak than they already are in reality. "

Criticism in the 3sat film series in January 2008 on the work of Mike Leigh: "With dazzling puns and raven-black punchlines, director Mike Leigh paints in his film a moral image of the post- Thatcher era that is as gloomy as it is maliciously witty ."

"I have dedicated myself to the task of making extraordinary films about ordinary life". (Mike Leigh)

Awards

Web links