Our take
A black and white movie, A Coffee in Berlin is an early Woody Allen reminiscent film with a great emphasis on the emotions it handles. It flows naturally, telling the story of Niko, a young college dropout in a period of his life where he has to face loneliness and lack of money and success. He goes from observing the people of Berlin to first realizing he is becoming a stranger to them and then lastly deciding to do something about his life. It’s a whimsical German film with a lot of heart, as much of a tribute to youth as it is a tribute to the city of Berlin.
Streaming arrival
The story
Niko, a twenty-something college dropout, lives for the moment as he drifts through the streets of Berlin, curiously observing everyone around him and oblivious to his growing status as an outsider. Then on one fateful day, through a series of absurdly amusing encounters, everything changes.
Elsewhere
"It's yet another tribute to being young, confused, and alone in a big city--a cinematic elegy that feels formulaic but is still budding with the special kind of poetic love a filmmaker shares with his favorite city."
— Morgan Wilcock
"There's wisdom lurking in its light, witty approach, which gradually transforms from a series of silly misadventures into something far more perceptive."
— Eric Kohn
This leaves me an impression that something so obvious could be so unobvious.