Matterhorn opens with a quote from composer Johann Sebastian Bach, speaking of his purported prowess. ‘It is not difficult. All one has to to do is hit the right keys at the right time,’ he offered. Perhaps the same could be said of actor-turned-writer/director’s Diederik Ebbinge absurdist debut feature – not just in its story of second chances, but also in its clever construction.
There are a number of easy buttons to push in the film’s eccentric narrative, telling the tale of the grief-stricken Fred (Ton Kas, The Deflowering of Eva Van End) and the homeless Theo (René van ‘t Hof, Family Way). First comes the conflict of opposing characters: the former reserved, set in his ways, and devoted to his religion; the latter unkempt, erratic, and fond of bleating like a goat in the supermarket. Then there is the bond of circumstances, arising after Fred takes Theo in to his home, offering food and shelter. Finally springs the against-the-odds accord, the men forming a friendship to the surprise of the local township – and their own, as well.
As Matterhorn cycles through its obvious elements, it does so with an eye for the unusual; the film may strike the requisite notes in the manner of its stated inspiration – the preferred purveyor of music of its lead character, too – but it does so to its own inimitable tune. Fred and Theo perform at children’s parties in scenes of offbeat joy. They play soccer in the street, unconcerned by the condemnation of the church. Fred plans a trip, with Theo his only desired travelling companion. With both searching for something lost, in each other they find the comfort they have been missing.
Selling the confines of the protagonists is essential to ensuring their transformation feels authentic, with Kas and van ‘t Hof up to the task. In the comedic framework, Kas is the discernable straight man to van ‘t Hof’s strangeness, but the film doesn’t just play their differences for laughs. Funny moments are apparent and elicited; however Matterhorn is more concerned with intimacy than amusement. The weight of their connection – and his character’s conversion from emotionally restrained to open hearted – rests with Kas, who excels in both guises, the empathetic picture of a man slowly embracing the love of the unexpected.
Ebbinge surrounds his players with scenes of timeless simplicity: a rural setting, sparse interiors, and signs of life from an earlier, easier period. Though the soft imagery of cinematographer Dennis Wielaert (Behind the Wall) provides a pleasing palette, it performs best at bringing its central pairing into the sharpest focus. Their journey is one of triumphing over adversity, one designed to warm hearts and even cause tears, but not in the traditional fashion. The left-of-centre set-up also draws attention to the disintegration – or, more appropriately, disapproval – of socially sanctioned normality. For Fred and Theo on the precipice of a tender camaraderie, happiness – not acceptance – is all that matters.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Matterhorn
Director: Diederik Ebbinge
The Netherlands, 2013, 87 mins
Melbourne Queer Film Festival
http://www.mqff.com.au/
13 – 24 March
