Ah, the always-magnificent German cinema comes through once more. 2 hours and 43 minutes of stupendous cinema experience is what this movie is.I really can't say whose performance was the greatest: Sabine Timoteo's or Jurgen Vogel's? They were both so rattling in their own way. And the subject of the movie is bold, carelessly blow-to-blow, heartbreaking.This movie has no beauty in it. But that's exactly the beauty in it. There's no poetry in it but it's so poetic. Every close-up, every character panning, every scream. Obsession and addiction and the free will.

The Free Will has been compared with Gasper Noe's Irreversible for the take on view of rape. And it was said to be more controversial than Irreversible.In some way, The Free Will proves to be better than Irreversible. But on the other hand, Irreversible gives a bigger impact than The Free Will.Director Matthias Glasner brings out the weakness of a human being (and i am referring to rape here) by creating a character named Theo (Jurgen Vogel). Theo sexually violated a girl, and was sentenced to 9 years of imprisonment. He wants to start a new life for himself, by living in a apartment that houses ex-criminals, getting himself a new job in the publishing factory, and finds release through sports and self fulfillment through porn videos.Glasner then introduces Nettie (Sabine Timoteo) into the story. She was the daughter of the owner of the publishing factory. Through some small little incidents, Theo and Nettie knows one another better. They developed a relationship later. However, while going through a normal relationship, Theo found himself fighting the battle against sexual urges with the opposite sex, which can leads to rape if he did not do something problem to stop himself from walking back to the same old road again.The Free Will is a test on the audience's moral values and patience. Why moral values? Theo uses porn to find satisfaction, and later, engaging in a sexual relationship with Nettie. It questions the audience on the moral values on sex and urges in the human beings.And why patience? The Free Will is a slow moving film that lasts 163 minutes, longer than any other movies that discuss similar topics. However, 163 minutes were used to explore the inner world of Theo, right from the beginning when he sexually violated the problem to finding a solution for himself. Rather than having everything fast forward, it goes on the pace of things happening in our daily life.Using a digital video camcorder to shoot the film, The Free Will takes a much more closer approach to the story on an ex offender finding ways to change himself. Irreversible, which was also filmed using a digital camcorder, takes a real life approach on an incident that took place in less than 12 hour's time.The Free Will is a piece of fine work that explores beyond The Free Will.

"Der freie Wille" is the tragedy of the rapist Theo (Vogel). After years of imprisonment and struggle for a normal life and love, he realizes that he can never be free of his pathological sexual urge. I saw this movie yesterday and it left intense, but contradictory impressions on me. First and above all, I appreciate the brilliant and authentic acting of J.Vogel, S.Timoteo, M.Zapatka and the whole ensemble. I saw real persons, not roles, sharp characterizations, not clichés, good actors, not stars. I appreciate the courage of the producers to realize such a movie, too. It's necessary to make movies like this. But in my opinion it has some severe structural problems, and that's why I refused to let story & characters affect me till the end. What a pity! Okay: some extremely disturbing scenes are shown, because the story isn't nice. Okay: this movie is a hard challenge for mind & heart, because cruelty against women is bad reality - worldwide. Okay: the main character Theo is a tragical monster, because of his unsolved conflict. Okay: Theo's only girlfriend Nettie (Timoteo) has to be both a highly neurotic and very intelligent person - other girls wouldn't be able to like Theo, and he wants her love so badly. Okay: the story is concerned with pain, cruelty, dread, fear, sorrow - all the abysses of human soul. But 3 hours long? It seemed to me that the movie contains too much unnecessary scenes (i.e. Nettie's job in a Belgian chocolate factory), that didn't help the story and unfortunately failed its impact on me. Eventually, for Theo, his victims and Nettie their lives are infinite real time human catastrophes. But to be and stay deeply affected by a character's tragedy in a movie, it isn't necessary to reveal every little detail of his or her life as if it happened in real life. This fact even weakens my attention and sympathy for the anti-heroes.It appears to me, that the movie couldn't decide between drama and documentary. But the really bad effect on me as the film's audience, who expects drama art, not real life: in the long run it's too exhausting to follow the plot. Unfortunately the key scenes get the same attention as the under-plots (and after a too long time no attention anymore). Therefore the dramaturgy kills itself. Besides, too much Method Acting. The story is intense enough - why so much long takes of sighs and yells? Timoteo does a brilliant job - when she shows her feelings subtle and reserved. I was also fascinated by Vogel's performance - when he shows soul instead of nakedness. I also concede, I'm not happy with the very hard ending. But somehow I would've liked it, if the movie would've been cut as a piece of drama art, not as a diary of pain. c.k.

Just saw this at the Tribeca Film Festival and it's one of the most intelligent, raw, intense and thought provoking films I've ever seen. It's unfortunate that some audience members and critics will focus on the graphic scenes of rape, tender lovemaking, masturbation and emotional trauma. The movie ultimately is about the extreme strength and fragility of personal will. We're shown how one person's surfacing unconditional love strengthens that person's will enough to accept and (heart wrenchingly) and not stop the complete relinquishing of another's personal will. Heady stuff, but very cleanly done. The two lead performers, Jürgen Vogel & Sabine Timoteo, fully inhabit and bring to surface the deeply-buried emotional chaos and trajectories of their characters. (The brilliance of their work would be lost on audience members who aren't used to understanding different cultures, i.e.: Germans cool, thoughtful communication style.) Their performances are nothing short of phenomenal.If you love great film making, see this. But brace yourself for a very compelling and intense 2.75 albeit efficient hours. You will be blown away. I found it very insightful and moving.