Fragmented, distant & elliptical, Falscher Bekenner is a deeply disturbing film that lingers. It tells a story of Armin, an aimless teen from a middle-class household, who might be a terrorist in the making. He seems to be into mechanics & has a fascination for mechanical objects but not much else. Being a 3rd son in a German household, therefore exempt from the mandatory military service, isn't really helping him to get a headstart in life. He goes to job interviews only to get rejected, again & again. He lacks enthusiasm, focus, social skills & qualification. The interviewers absurd questions & methods are as troubling as Armin's withdrawal. Things are lucid. Did Armin actually committed the arson in his neighborhood? Is he engaging in dark sexual activities in the public bathroom at night? The thing is, because of Hochhäusler's precise, impeccable direction, you can't dismiss the boy's lethargic behavior as shallow characterization. #christophhochhäusler #BerlinerSchule