Das Ekel: Berlin, grumpiness, and a whole lot of shouting

Is it worth your time?

If you have a soft spot for pre-war German cinema that doesn't just pretend everything is perfect, then yes, watch it. It’s for people who like characters that are actually frustrating, not just 'quirky.' If you need your protagonists to be likable heroes, stay far away. You will hate this guy.

The whole thing is basically a day in the life of a total jerk in Berlin. He’s the kind of guy who sucks the oxygen out of a room just by walking in. It’s honestly exhausting, but in a way that feels oddly real.

The vibe

There’s this scene in the office where the tension is so thick you could cut it with a dull butter knife. Everyone is just trying to do their jobs, and he’s there, making everything about him. It reminded me a bit of the suffocating atmosphere in The Cat and the Fiddle, though obviously a completely different flavor of miserable.

The pacing is snappy. It doesn't waste time with long, flowery monologues. It just jumps from one annoying encounter to the next. Sometimes it feels like the camera is just hiding behind a desk, trying not to get yelled at by the main guy.

Little things I noticed:

• The way people walk in this movie. It’s all very purposeful, like everyone has somewhere to be and they’re already late.
• The background noise of Berlin. You can almost smell the coal dust and cheap coffee.
• One of the side characters has this twitchy habit of fixing his tie whenever he’s nervous. It’s tiny, but it’s so specific.

I wouldn't say this reaches the heights of something like The Natural Law, but it’s not trying to be that deep. It’s just a comedy about a guy who really, really needs to take a nap or maybe just retire.

The dialogue is sharp. Sometimes it’s a bit mean, but that’s the point. It feels like overheard gossip in a busy train station. 🙄

I found myself laughing at the wrong moments, mostly because the protagonist is such a caricature of every bad boss I’ve ever had. It’s painfully relatable. Even if the film is ancient, that feeling of 'I just want to go home' is universal.

Don't expect a neat ending. It sort of just runs out of steam, which feels right. Life rarely wraps up with a bow, anyway.