WHAT MARIELLE KNOWS is about the most German problem of all: overcoming Kantian idealism. Prepubescent Marielle gets slapped by a friend who calls her a “slut.” Afterwards, she develops telepathic abilities, but only when it comes to her parents. She sees everything they talk about and do throughout the day and tells them about it over dinner.

For mother Julia (Julia Jentsch), who does something or other in a glass office, is especially embarrassed by her hardcore flirting during the smoke break with her colleague Max, for her father and publishing manager Tobias, he’s embarrassed by his lack of assertiveness with the younger Sören. And now they have to deal with this prepubescent categorical imperative, with all of the normative expectations: dad is strong, mom is loyal. At first they acquiesce, like good German idealists. No more smoke breaks, letting Sören know what he really thinks. Like in Lacan’s “Kant with Sade“ they soon understand, that if everything is forbidden, everything is also allowed. So fantasies are realized. Sodom and Gomorrah, wherein mother Julia has to constantly tell herself that “it’s all very natural.“ The imperative asserts itself even more in rebellion.
In MARIELLE, as in the real history of ideas, idealism leads to a descent into romanticism. A bit of depression, a bit of suffering, guilt, and forgiveness, but the last line is “I love you.” Brahms lulls the listener to sleep, as a counterpoint to Beethoven in the first scene.
MARIELLE is very entertaining as a thought experiment and philosophical satire. In the US, the same premise would be a screwball comedy. In France, the people would at least have fun while having sex. In Germany, however, the issue is discussed with contrite humor.

Tom Dorow (INDIEKINO MAGAZIN)

Translation: Elinor Lewy