Name: Rumspringa
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 2022-04-29T00:00:00+00:00
Cast: Timur Bartels, Jonas Holdenrieder, Tijan Marei, Gizem Emre, Nicole Johannhanwahr

The opening shot of Mira Thiel’s Rumspringa is a stark contrast: Jacob (Jonas Holdenrieder), dressed in traditional Amish attire, stands out against the neon-lit streets of Berlin. This visual dissonance sets the tone for a film that thrives on cultural collision and personal discovery.

Thiel’s direction is deliberate, using Berlin as both a character and a crucible for Jacob’s transformation. The city’s nightlife, with its raves and underground clubs, provides a visceral counterpoint to the Amish community’s quiet simplicity. Scenes like Jacob’s first venture into a club, where he’s wide-eyed and overwhelmed by the electronic music (a nod to the album of the same name), are compelling. The sound design here is particularly effective, immersing the audience in Jacob’s sensory overload.

Holdenrieder delivers a performance that anchors the film, capturing Jacob’s innocence and curiosity with nuance. His chemistry with Tijan Marei, who plays Freja, his love interest, feels organic and heartfelt. Their scenes together—whether wandering through Berlin’s streets or sharing quiet moments in Jacob’s apartment—are the film’s emotional core.

However, Rumspringa stumbles when it tries to balance its comedic and dramatic elements. The humor, often derived from culture shock, can feel heavy-handed, and some jokes fall flat. Additionally, the pacing falters in the second act, with several subplots involving Jacob’s friends (Timur Bartels as Alf, Rauand Taleb as Bo) feeling underdeveloped and distracting from the main narrative.

The film also struggles with its resolution. The climax, where Jacob must choose between his Amish roots and his newfound love for Freja, is rushed and lacks the emotional weight it should carry. A stronger build-up to this decision could have made the conclusion more satisfying.

Despite these missteps, Rumspringa offers a unique perspective on the Amish rite of passage. Thiel’s exploration of identity and belonging is timely, even if the execution isn’t always flawless.