Head-On (18)

A middle-aged widower (the beaten-down Birol Ünel) and a self-harming young woman (the luminescent Sibel Kekilli) embark on a doomed romance in Fatih Akin’s vividly uncompromising German/Turkish drama. Attempted suicides, murder, rape, physical beatings... this isn’t a cosy love story. Yet the blistering central performances, dynamic direction and fresh perspective on cultural identity ensure this erstwhile Total Film Gem Of The Month still shines on DVD.

DVD Extras:

The most significant extra is a conversational commentary track provided by Akin and his English editor Andrew Bird. Both are good on background information on the actors, the choice of settings in Hamburg and Istanbul and the film's diverse musical selections. Missing, though, is any real cultural or cinematic context to explain why such a volatile work enjoyed considerable box-office success.

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