Watching 'I'm for You, You're for Me' feels like a weird time capsule

If you're looking for a lighthearted watch, this absolutely isn't it. Unless you're a history buff who finds 1930s state propaganda fascinating in a morbid way, you'll probably want to skip this one. It's essentially a long, slow exercise in showing us how perfectly obedient girls are supposed to act. 🙄

The whole thing plays out like a fever dream of domestic perfection. Every scene feels like it's trying to sell you a postcard of a life that never actually existed for anyone. You watch these girls harvesting crops and singing, and you can practically hear the director shouting behind the camera to smile wider.

There's this one sequence where they're all doing handicrafts that lasts for an eternity. The lighting is weirdly bright, almost flat, which makes everything feel like a stage play inside a very dusty barn. One of the actresses, Afra Krüdener, seems to be the only one who didn't get the memo about acting like a porcelain doll. She has this look in her eyes like she’s already bored with the whole project.

The pacing is… well, there isn't really any. It just drifts from one task to the next. It’s not quite as manic or weird as something like The Dictator, but it shares that same sense of being completely disconnected from actual human behavior. It’s all very stiff.

Sometimes the film cuts to a wide shot of a field, and it’s oddly empty. Like they couldn't find enough extras, or maybe they just didn't care to fill the frame. It’s lonely, in a way that I doubt was intended.

Then there’s the singing. Oh boy, the singing. It’s meant to be uplifting, I suppose, but it comes across as deeply forced. You can almost feel the movie sweating as it tries to convince you that scrubbing floors is the highest form of patriotism. It’s a bit exhausting to watch.

If you’ve seen Perfect Day, you know how simple, rhythmic storytelling can work. This is the exact opposite. It wants to be perfect, so it ends up being sterile and cold. Nothing here feels lived-in.

I found myself staring at the background details more than the actual plot. Why is that one girl holding the basket like that? Why is the sky so white? It’s those tiny, strange choices that make the movie feel like a relic. It doesn't tell a story; it just broadcasts an order.

Definitely not a casual Friday night movie. It’s a historical document that accidentally reveals how hard the machine had to work to keep the mask on. A strange, slightly hollow experience. 🎞️