The Forest for the Trees

2003

1h 21m

Drama

List

79%

Tomatometer

14 Reviews

72%

Audience Score

500+ Ratings

Melanie (Eva Löbau), an idealistic and naive young woman, leaves her country home and lover to take a teaching job in a German city. Socially inept and sorely lacking in disciplinary skills, she is ill-equipped to deal with her unruly students and dismissive colleagues. She tries to make friends with a neighbor (Daniela Holtz), but the neighbor is clearly uninterested. The pressure at work and the loneliness at home soon become too much for Melanie to bear.

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Robert Denerstein

Denver Rocky Mountain News

Forest has the look of a film that might have been made by a first-timer with visions of Sundance in her head.

Rated: B

Dec 15, 2006

Full Review

Michael Wilmington

Chicago Tribune

An affecting, very intelligent work, done with an eye for realism and a heart for the lonely, insulted and injured.

Rated: 3/4

Jul 6, 2006

Full Review

Time Out

Eva Lbau's lynchpin performance as Melanie is a shattering lesson in the tropes of timidity and awkwardness, and serves in taking this cinema of cruelty into as yet uncharted territory.

Jun 24, 2006

Full Review

Savina Petkova

A Good Movie To Watch

Even with her debut, Ade showcased a talent for spotting the hidden comic potential of situations that can be wounding, turning vulnerabilities into power through comedy.

Rated: 76/100

Nov 24, 2023

Full Review

Lindsay Pugh

Woman in Revolt

Maren Ade's HFF thesis is proof that a powerful, worthwhile film can be made on zero budget when the director and actors are talented enough.

Oct 24, 2018

Full Review

Matthew Turner

ViewLondon

Engaging, low-budget German drama with a strong script and a heart-breaking central performance from Eva Lbau.

Rated: 4/5

Feb 16, 2006

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Audience Member

This is a terribly painful movie. You really feel Melanie's loneliness and humiliation, even as many of her actions are the embodiment of the concept of "cringe" and you practically want to reach through the screen to prevent her from humiliating herself further. The film has a naturalistic style, yet it trembles with social anxiety throughout and there is no redemption. All of this makes it seem like I didn't like the film, but this isn't a film for enjoyment. It's thoroughly engaging the way a Michael Haneke or Lars Von Trier film often is, the way it clinically observes the suffering of its subject. It reminded me a lot of "The Piano Teacher", but with social anxiety (or social obliviousness set against loneliness) instead of psycho-sexual torment. The fact that it was made by a student is amazing.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/22/23

Full Review

dave j

Written and directed by Maren Ade starring Eva Löbau as Melanie Proeschle moving to small town in Germany as a teacher and attempts to adapt by making a new friend with her neighbor.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A low budget flick where we meet the young teacher Melanie. She has just gotten into the line of work, she is in a new city, and she is (newly?) single. The thing is, she sucks. She is no good what so ever as a teacher. The worst part is still that she lacks social antennas. She is so much into getting liked, that she can't be liked. She lies, she clings to and stalk people - trying to show of what a good human being she is. I bet she really is though, but there are way to much neediness in her. It's a painful watch - she got loads of issues and they are on full display. Filmed with some weak camera that's giving it a documentary feel and it actually lifts the film a whole lot. Strong lead performance. Her inner war with herself is heartbreaking and realistic. You feel both pity and frustration for the lady and her huge cry for help. Not the easiest of films to watch, but very rewarding. 8.5 out of 10 bags of trash.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A fine movie about a young woman slowly and quietly coming apart. It's well acted and the movie is well-composed bu sadly undermined by cheap looking digital video.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

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Audience Member

The sub-plots individually are realistic, but combining them into one makes the film tiresome.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Worth watching but makes you uneasy despite some of its comic elements because you can't develop sympathy for the character Melanie even though you suspect she's headed for tragedy towards the end of the film. The director delivers a tragic punch in the end that makes you feel totally helpless.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

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Maren Ade

Director

Eva Löbau

Melanie Pröschle

Daniela Holtz

Tina Schaffner

Jan Neumann

Thorsten Rehm

Ilona Schulz

Frau Sussmann

Robert Schupp

Tobias

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Synopsis

Melanie (Eva Löbau), an idealistic and naive young woman, leaves her country home and lover to take a teaching job in a German city. Socially inept and sorely lacking in disciplinary skills, she is ill-equipped to deal with her unruly students and dismissive colleagues. She tries to make friends with a neighbor (Daniela Holtz), but the neighbor is clearly uninterested. The pressure at work and the loneliness at home soon become too much for Melanie to bear.

Director: Maren Ade
Screenwriter: Maren Ade
Production Co: Südwestdeutscher Rundfunk (SWR), Komplizen Film GbR, KaufmannWöbke GbR
Genre: Drama
Original Language: German
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 12, 2017
Runtime: 1h 21m

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