REVIEW:

Directed by a rising auteur from the harbor city of Hamburg, Head-On confirms Turkish-born, German-raised Fatih Akin as a name to watch in the growing ranks of talented filmmakers in Germany. As the title hints, this is the story of two suicide prone young Turks who find each other after mutual attempts to end their lives, marry on a whim to challenge themselves as well as to spite the Turkish community, then plunge into a downward spiral of drugs, drinking, free-wheeling sex, and uncontrolled bursts of temper.

Shot in Hamburg and Istanbul, with episodes interpolated by a Turkish singer and a musical ensemble on the banks of the Bosporos, Fatih Akin doesn’t pull his punches in this biting portrayal of the travails endured by many second-generation Turks who find themselves in Europe at the crossroads between two cultures. Head-On is the fourth feature film by the writer director, following Kurz und schmerzlos (Short, Sharp, Shock) (1998), Im Juli (In July) (2000), Solino (2002) ­ all critically acclaimed on the international festival circuit.

Ron Holloway