In Doris Dörrie's ENLIGHTENMENT GUARANTEED, two brothers, Uwe (Uwe Ochsenknecht) and Gustav (Gustav-Peter Wöhler), set off from Munich for Japan. Gustav has been planning the trip for some time--he is going to a retreat in a Buddhist monastery. But Uwe is undertaking the trip on a whim at the spur of the moment. Unexpectedly, Uwe's wife and children walked out on him, so he is going on the trip because he needs to be with his brother. On their first night in Tokyo, the brothers go out for dinner but then suffer a cascading series of disasters as they manage to lose their way, their money, their bank cards, and then, in the organized chaos of a massive Tokyo interchange, each other. Gustav is desperate and, hilariously, finds himself singing for money in the subway. Magically, it works.
Gustav and Uwe's picaresque adventures include meeting a fairy godmother, Anica (Anica Dobra), and working as waiters in a German restaurant in Tokyo before they finally arrive at the monastery. There, among the Buddhist monks, each in his own way and in his own time finds himself. ENLIGHTENMENT GUARANTEED, entertainingly filled with unforced humor, was shot spontaneously with a digital video camera. Director Doris Dörrie is a master at telling stories of ordinary people caught in odd situations, and in this film she sees the humor while honoring their humanity.
Theatrical release: February 9, 2001 (Boston, Massachusetts, and Washington, DC).
Estimated budget: one million dollars.
ENLIGHTENMENT GUARANTEED was shot entirely on location in Munich, Germany, in Tokyo, Shibuzawa, and at the Sojiji Soin Father Temple in Mozen in Japan.
The movie was shot with two digital cameras--one of them often held by leading actors Uwe Ochsenknecht and Gustav-Peter Wöhler. It had a crew of five, and many regular jobs were unfilled--there is no production designer, costume designer, art director, set designer, or composer.
The entire crew of ENLIGHTMENT GUARANTEED lived in the Sojiji Soin Father Temple for two weeks. Although the monastery is strictly for males, both Dorris Dörrie and her assistant Ruth Stadler were allowed to stay with the rest of the crew. While they were there, the abbot insisted that they adhere to the monastery's rules.
As in NOBODY LOVES ME and AM I BEAUTIFUL?, the two wonderful Doris Dörrie movies that preceded it, the protagonists of ENLIGHTENMENT GUARANTEED gradually lose control of their lives and in doing so learn to truly experience the present.
Enlightenment Guaranteed Reviews:
"...An uplifting little film that even manages to impart some of the eponymous promised wisdom to the viewer on a real-life level..."
-- Christine James, Box Office
"...ENLIGHTENMENT GUARANTEED is as funny as it is nourishing, and it has stellar performances..."-- Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
Color; Letter Boxed; Widescreen; English Subtitles; Soundtrack German
Enlightenment Guaranteed Movie Review
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Average Rating: (5 out of 5 stars)
Funny, touching film with more than a touch of zen This film is just delightful. It especially rings true for anyone who sits zazen, but it's a true find for anyone interested in people and their lives. It was pretty much all ad-libbed and is very funny. Check it out! Submitted by a reviewer (Berkeley, CA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
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Enlightenment Guaranteed DVD Features
Region 0 Keep Case Letterbox - 1.85 Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 - German Additional Release Material: Interviews: Doris Dorrie Trailers: Original Theatrical Trailer
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