In slow motion, a child’s hand hits Marielle’s cheek. Her best friend has hit her because Marielle called her a slut.
This has triggered her telepathic abilities. When her mother picks her up from school, Marielle is very quiet. Her mother senses that something is wrong with her child, but she can’t find out what has happened because her daughter remains silent. It is only at a meal with both parents that Marielle reveals what has happened and that she can see everything that her parents have experienced that day. She can describe in minute detail what happened in her father’s office or at her mother’s meeting with a friend. Both parents look at each other, visibly perplexed, but initially dismiss it as a game. After all, such a thing cannot be possible.
In the evening, both parents reflect on what happened at dinner, but agree that Marielle was obviously listening in on their cell phones and must have hacked them. The couple deny some of the details that Marielle has told them.
The next morning, when everyone leaves the house, Marielle confronts her parents with the discussion they had that evening and quotes the dialog the parents had had 1:1.
From now on, they begin to behave completely differently towards everyone they meet in everyday life. They prefer not to talk about certain things, interrupt conversations or simply assert themselves towards others without thinking about the consequences. The feeling of being watched has clearly grown on the part of the parents, even though they still have certain doubts about their daughter’s ability. But one thing is clear to everyone in the family. Nothing is as it was and so the question arises as to whether and how the whole thing can be reversed. The solution is obvious, but it harbors further unforeseen conflicts.
Conclusion:
Although the movie is a purely fictional story, it does have some interesting aspects on a purely psychological level. The growing pressure and the feeling that every word and experience of one’s own child is now really being experienced uncut is very well thought out and is also conveyed well by the movie. Basically, it’s like a mirror for all parents who often tend to monitor their children. The actors contribute very well to making the story believable. As a genre, the movie can be classified as a drama, but it can also be seen as a comedy. In many places, the movie scores with very entertaining dialogs and scenes, which don’t harm the story but lighten it up again, without the seriousness being completely lost
Actors:
Julia Jentsch (Julia)
Felix Kramer (Tobias)
Laeni Geiseler (Marielle)
Mehmet Ateşçi (Max)
Moritz Treuenfels (Sören)
Director:
Frédéric Hambalek
More about the movie:
https://www.berlinale.de/en/2025/programme/202511266.html
