Drei (2 Stars)

"Drei" is the German word for the number Three, and the film has been released in America as "3". We've all seen films about love triangles. They're a standardly recurring theme, to name "Titanic" as just one example. In "Drei" the German director Tom Tykwer gives us a typically German twist on the idea.

Hanna and Simon are a couple who have been living together for 20 years. Hanna is a television reporter, Simon builds sculptures, made to designs from his customers. They have no children, but not from lack of trying. When Simon develops cancer and has to undergo chemotherapy they finally marry. But not everything is good in their relationship. Hanna interviews a man called Adam who owns a company specialising in artificial insemination. After she meets him again by chance at a football game they begin an affair. Simon also meets Adam in a swimming bath and begins an affair with him. We see Hanna and Simon lying awake in bed at night both dreaming about the same man.

Okay, I have to say this: although Tom Tykwer is one of my favourite directors, there were scenes in the first half of the film that were so ugly that I felt like turning off the film. I know cancer is ugly, but to me the hospital operation scenes were disturbing and totally unnecessary. I also fail to see the significance of cancer to the plot. I would have enjoyed the film a lot more if there had been no references to cancer. The film became better in the second half when it was just about the love triangle and the cancer was hardly mentioned, but I still can't recommend the film. Two stars is a generous rating.