Cinema release
“Falling Into Place” – Romance by Aylin Tezel
Aylin Tezel as Kira and Chris Fulton as Ian in a scene from the film “Falling Into Place”. photo
© Julian Krubasik/Port au Prince Pictures/dpa
In her directorial debut, the actress tells a touching love story between two people in their mid-thirties. She also succeeds in creating a portrait of a generation in search of the meaning of life.
First a little flirtation in the bar, then an intense night and finally a deep connection that changes your life: the plot of Aylin Tezel’s film “Falling Into Place” is quickly summarized and is not exactly new to the romance film genre. And yet the 40-year-old – previously best known to viewers as an actress from Dortmund’s “Tatort” – creates something special in her feature film debut as a director.
It is not only an intense portrait of two people and their stories, but also speaks a little bit for the generation of people in their mid-thirties – constantly looking for distraction, whether on social media or in dating apps – and yet with a deep longing to arrive.
In the film, Kira and Ian meet on a winter night on the Scottish island of Isle of Skye. Both are running away from something: she from dealing with her failed relationship, he from confronting the problems in his family. Their connection quickly becomes very deep, but they break up again and return to London, missing each other and yet not being able to get away from each other.
The encounter triggers something in them at the same time. Kira overcomes the separation and experiences her breakthrough as an artist, Ian establishes contact with his mentally ill sister and concentrates on his compositions.
The main actors in particular give the film its character. Chris Fulton (“Bridgerton”) convinces as the charming, self-confident and yet vulnerable Ian. Aylin Tezel fascinates as Kira with her naturalness and warmth.
The story, also written by Tezel, fluctuates between childlike lightness and emotional depth, wordplay and paralyzing speechlessness – staged by the interplay of wide-angle and detailed shots from the camera (Julian Krubasik). “Falling Into Place” is everything but an ordinary romantic film.
Falling Into Place, Germany, Great Britain 2023, 113 min., FSK ages 12 and up, by Aylin Tezel, with Aylin Tezel, Chris Fulton, Alexandra Dowling, Rory Fleck Byrne and others,