Sydney Film Festival 2013 - Film Review - Oh Boy

Niko (Tom Shilling) and his father on the golf course

Oh Boy is the feature film debut for German film director, Jan Ole Gerster and deservedly has been a hit winning a number of awards. Its a light-hearted, breezy comedy which does have a serious element both for the characters portrayed and the locational setting which is the German capital, Berlin, currently undergoing transformation. The film has also been shot in grainy black and white which brings an alluring appeal and effective conveyance of mood. The story focuses on law college dropout, Niko (Tom Shilling), who simultaneously loses his girlfriend, has his financial support cut off (after his father discovers Niko dropped out of his course two years earlier) and finds it difficult to actually buy a simple cup of normal coffee. Through a series of chance encounters with various people including many from his past, creating a profound influence on him, Niko finds meaning and an insight into life. This film is episodic in structure and has many humorous points with disarming use of black humour and irony. Tom Shilling portrays the hapless bewildered Niko with laid back conviction seeking to find his way while Berlin, a city with a dramatic historical past, including the Nazi era, provides the canvass for this search.