2944. Go With Le Flo (2014)

Starring: Denis Aubert, Marina Senckel, Leslie Dubreuil

Director: Michael Glover

Running Time: 82 mins

Go With The Flo is a German film about a half-French, half-German man running a French salami shop in Berlin, and his best friend, who is secretly in love with him.

This is a really cute film. A low-budget movie with a big heart, Go With Le Flo is a delightfully quirky romantic comedy, complete with good laughs, an enjoyable (albeit admittedly simplistic) story, and some genuinely heartwarming moments.

It’s a short and sweet movie, and although it’s not quite a work of genius – neither proving as enormously endearing as the film hopes, nor as emotionally engaging, it’s fluffy and easy to relax to, a little reminiscent of the equally quirky French comedy Romantics Anonymous.

With fun performances across the board in a collection of enjoyably odd roles, the likes of Denis Aubert, Marina Senckel and more delight throughout. They give the film a heartwarming and earnest, down-to-earth energy, making it all the more lovable.

Also, Go With Le Flo plays out at a nice pace – not too frantic to be able to keep up with, but with just enough sense of chaos to heighten its fun factor. In what eventually develops into a chase across the city of Berlin, the film’s sense of frenzy adds to the laughs, as the characters find themselves in all manner of bizarre and awkward situations – with the film’s finale the best of all.

Where the film falls down, however, is in developing a more memorable atmosphere. It’s a fun and cute movie with a little bit of chaos thrown in, but what it fails to do is bring a more engrossing portrayal of the hustle and bustle of Berlin to the table.

The film eventually spills out from a bunch of indoor sets onto the streets of Berlin, but by shooting in emptier corners of the city at off-peak times, the place seems oddly lifeless for a film that’s so full of energy at its best.

Of course, shooting on location on a low budget is a minefield, so keeping the outside shots to a minimum and away from the bustling centre makes budgetary sense, but it does have an impact on the film’s atmosphere in the end.

Overall, though, I rather liked Go With Le Flo. A fun, quirky and often heartwarming watch with big laughs here and there, it’s an enjoyably odd romantic comedy throughout, and although it may not have all the budget to deliver the best experience possible, there’s no denying its heart and energy throughout. And that’s why I’m giving it a 7.4.