‘I think that I have hallucinations…’
Tension building is a wonderful cinematic tool when utilised correctly (a bit rich coming from a man who struggles to utilise a tin opener correctly, but not to worry). But when it goes wrong… it can go badly wrong. It is forgivable to ratchet up the tension over a scene, a section or even an entire movie so long as this eventually leads to some kind of denouement worthy of the wait. The Ground Beneath My Feet acts as a pressure cooker, boiling and bubbling away for almost two hours before finally settling back into an armchair for a long nap. This is not just a damp squib, it’s a soaking wet squib. A squib sinking to the bottom of the ocean, saturated with good intentions. A disappointing time indeed…
Lola (Valerie Pachner) is a woman who knows what she wants. Think a less murderous Mrs Waterford. She is successful at work, efficient in her relationships and on top of her health and fitness. Simmering in a mental health facility like a deranged painting in the attic is Lola’s sister Conny (Pia Hierzegger). As Conny’s behaviour becomes more and more erratic, Lola starts to suffer from delusions of her own.
The Ground Beneath My Feet is not a bad film. It’s competently acted with Pachner excelling in the lead role. It’s stylishly shot in a way that reflects Lola’s crumbling mental health. But it’s also pretty dull and forgettable. I left this film feeling nothing but a faint annoyance for two hours lost. Despite having some interesting things to say about paranoia and perceptions of women and mental health, there is nothing here that leaves any kind of lasting impression. It just, kind of, is. And that’s certainly not enough.