Review of Der Kopf des Mohren

A scientist (Gert Voss) increasingly alarmed at the violence, death and suicide in the world, begins to lose his mind, turning his apartment into self sufficient quarters with rabbits, chickens and vegetables grown under artificial light. Written by Michael Haneke this ultimately worthwhile film tests the patience in the first two thirds and comes across as an art-house version of Falling Down (1993). The direction is assured and cleverly conceals matters through deliberate framing. This causes the viewer to wonder whether the events we are seeing are chronological and indeed to question what is actually happening. The final third where Voss' wife (Angela Winkler) and children return to find Voss' obsessive behaviour overwhelming everything illuminate on prior events and make for a tragic and sad end.