Checking in on the dusty charm of At the Blond Katherine's

Is this worth your time?

Honestly, only if you have a real soft spot for vintage European cinema or really want to see what people thought was hilarious back in the day. It’s not for the casual viewer who wants a tight plot or modern pacing.

If you like your humor quiet, theatrical, and occasionally confusing, you might find something to like here. If you need something snappy or visually modern, stay far away. 🎞️

The College Vibe

The whole movie takes place with this sort of heightened, stage-bound energy. Everyone seems to be performing for the back row of a theater rather than a camera lens. It’s charming, but also a little exhausting.

There's a specific scene where the students are just milling about that felt like a low-budget version of Girls Will Be Girls. Except, you know, much older and way more polite.

Odd Little Moments

Joe Stöckel clearly loves being in front of the camera. Sometimes he lingers in a shot just a second or two too long, staring off into space while someone else is talking. It’s weirdly distracting but I couldn't look away.

Also, the sets. They look like they were made out of cardboard and sheer willpower. There’s a specific door in the main hallway that squeaks every time it opens. They never fixed the audio, so you hear this high-pitched 'eeeek' in almost every single scene. It becomes a character on its own by the halfway point.

Is it a masterpiece? No. Does it feel like a time capsule? Absolutely.

It’s not as punchy as Show Folks, but there is a certain sweetness to the way these characters try to navigate their 'good old days.' They are constantly getting into scrapes that wouldn't even count as a minor inconvenience today.

Final thoughts (or lack thereof)

I found myself wondering if anyone actually studied at this university. They seem to spend all their time walking down staircases and looking pointedly at each other. 🤷‍♂️

It’s a strange little flick. Don't expect to be changed by it. Just expect to be mildly entertained by the sheer audacity of how slow and deliberate everything is.