From 5 to 7 - DVD

Content: The young writer Brian (Anton Yelchin) is desperately waiting to finally publish one of his stories. But it hails only rejections and Brian falls into a deep creative crisis. But then one day he meets the attractive French Arielle (Bérénice Marlohe). There's a huge spark between the two, but there's a problem: not only is Arielle nine years older than Brian, she's also a married mother of two. Still, she'd like to meet with Brian regularly, always from five to seven - with her husband's (Lambert Wilson) consent. As attracted as he is to Arielle, such a relationship would go against Brian's morals. But he can't resist the temptation for long. Thus begins a passionate affair between the two, which only threatens to become complicated when affection and passion turn into great love.

From 5 to 7 is a small, but fine romance. The narrative pace is carried and the poetic undertone, which is supposed to be achieved by the inclusion of bank inscriptions in New York's Central Park, can seem a bit strained to some viewers, especially at the beginning. This is especially true of the German dubbing, which is okay, but fails to capture the romantic warmth of the original audio. One should not expect a romantic comedy here, as one is used to from Katherine Heigl, Jennifer Aniston and Co. Rather, filmmaker Victor Levin has directed a very classic love story that has humorous moments, but is primarily drama, rather than comedy. Levin's film is a homage to very big feelings, which he builds up rather reservedly, but nevertheless intensely.

The film has many wonderful scenes. That there are some lengths in between is forgotten at the latest at the finale, where a short moment is enough to bring tears to the eyes of hopeless romantics. Simply wonderful. The film thrives on these little moments, bathed in enchanting images of New York and believably delivered by the charming cast. Anton Yelchin, who recently died in an accident far too soon, is absolutely convincing as a writer in a crisis of purpose and life. That Brian throws his morals overboard for Arielle after initial hesitation and quickly loses his heart to her is played by Yelchin with a pleasant naturalness. But the beguiling Bérénice Marlohe (Spectre) also makes it easy for him to convey these feelings believably.

What the film also does well, in addition to this romance, is to incorporate the budding friendship between Brian and Jane (Olivia Thirlby), the mistress of Arielle's husband, into the story in such a way that it doesn't feel contrived, but develops naturally within the events. The fact that Levin has refrained from making Jane a character in a love triangle and that she really only serves the function of a good friend is also one of the successful aspects of this film.

Sure, From 5 to 7 is not a perfect film. However, it is a very nice, sensitively told work with some effective goosebump moments, charming actors and atmospheric imagery. If you like light romantic dramas and can overlook some minor lengths, don't miss this nice home movie premiere. But beware: If you're built close to the water, you'll need at least a handkerchief by the last minute at the latest! Worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The picture of the DVD pleases especially with its warm, ingratiating colors. The image sharpness is on a good level, although especially in the dark scenes would be qualitatively still air to the top. The sound is rather unspectacular, which is not unusual for a film of this genre. The dialogues and the soundtrack are the focus of the sound, smaller ambient noises but at least ensure that a little life is felt in the surround channels. Good.

Extras: Bonus features include a promo clip offering a behind-the-scenes look (approx. 4:09 mins), as well as a short making of (approx. 9:10 mins) with interviews and footage from the shoot. The trailer closes the not exactly extensive bonus offer then again.

Conclusion: From 5 to 7 is a beautiful romance that can convince with charismatic actors, atmospheric images and a pinch of poetry. An unusual love story that lovers of small US productions beyond the mainstream should not miss. The DVD offers good picture and sound quality. The bonus material is rather meager, but qualitatively okay. Overall, there is a clear: Recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp