Direction: Ulrich Seidl
Country: Austria
Co-written, directed and produced by Ulrich Seidl, an inveterate provocateur who captured the attention of the media with his audacious Paradise trilogy, Rimini is a comedy drama about decay in every sense. Although freckled with cheesiness, shenanigans and nostalgia, the film is generally absorbing with its strong performances and intoxicating subversion. Its visuals, thoroughly mesmerizing, depict the life of a washed-up romantic pop artist and occasional gigolo, Richie Bravo, impeccably impersonated by Michael Thomas. Seidl created this role specially for him after seeing him singing Sinatra’s “My Way” during the shooting of Import Export (2007).
The backdrop for the story is the northern Italian title city whose gloomy winter weather makes the story even more punishing. With fatherhood as a key topic, we get a glimpse of Richie’s relationships with his nationalist, dementia-struck father (Hans-Michael Rehberg in his last film role) as well as his daughter, Tessa (Tessa Göttlicher), who, after 18 years, claims what he stole from her and her mother. Yet, his money - most of it coming from sexual services for retired fans - barely covers his alcohol addiction.
This acerbic Dolce Vita is not an easy film to watch, but worth the effort as it is a brutal and insolent viewing experience. Seidl can still hurt with his ferocious filmmaking style. He extracts a mix of caustic humor, corny drama, unseductive raw sex, and a sort of painful numbness from many of the scenes. If this is your cup of tea, take a look at Sparta (2023), the follow-up to Rimini, which focuses on Richie’s brother, Ewald.
