Switzerland
3.5 OUT OF 4 STARS
Love is in the air, but not in the room.
In a meet cute where the lovers have trouble meeting, the mood is set for romance. However, a hearing-impaired hotel manager with raised eyebrows seems to have no desire to bunk up two unmarrieds in early 1960s Geneva.
Writer-director Andrew Katumba lovingly recreates the period, from the quaint hotel down to the quirky wind up toys. A man arrives with stars in his eyes and flowers in hand, nervously straightening the hallway photos and rereading his lover’s instructions. A woman arrives with a bounce in her step and a dog at her feet, dancing to the radio while awaiting her affair.
As the evening wears on, cruel fate keeps apart the eager lovers. But Simon Baechler's teasing cinematography retains intrigue until the puzzle is unraveled.