Jä-soo! is a strange, dusty trip to old Zurich

Is this for you?

If you have a thing for black-and-white regional films that feel like they were pulled from a time capsule in an attic, you’ll probably find something to enjoy here. If you need snappy editing or a plot that actually moves at a decent clip, you’re going to hate it. It’s slow, it’s stubborn, and it definitely doesn’t care if you’re bored.

Jakob is basically the poster boy for the 'grumpy guy out of his element' trope. Seeing him try to handle Zurich is like watching someone try to navigate a space station with a compass and a paper map. The city scenes have this weird, hollow echo to them, like they couldn't afford enough extras to make the streets look lived-in.

There is a moment early on where Jakob is looking at a shop window, and the camera just stays there. It stays there for so long that I started wondering if the projector had jammed. It’s an oddly specific kind of patience this movie demands of you.

The fiancé, on the other hand, is just too much. He’s supposed to be a slick city guy, but he’s written with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Every time he’s on screen, you just want Jakob to finally lose his temper and do something about it.

It reminded me a bit of the pacing issues in Tout s'arrange, where the drama feels like it’s being stretched out just to fill the runtime. Sometimes the dialogue feels like it’s trying to be a play, but the camera is stuck in a medium shot that doesn't quite work for the stagey delivery.

• The rural costumes are fantastic, honestly.
• The music sometimes feels like it was recorded in a different room entirely.
• Jakob’s hat is a character in its own right.

I wouldn't say this is a lost masterpiece. It’s more like a curious little artifact. It’s not as tightly wound as Opfer des Hasses, but it has a weird, quiet heart. If you want to see someone get flustered by the invention of urban living, this is your movie. 🕰️

The ending doesn't really land, but I think I’ve stopped expecting these older films to give us a clean bow. It just kind of… stops. And that’s fine.