After 22 years Marcus Lenk (Alexander Beyer) returns to his hometown Neusorge by the river Elbe, from which he ran away as a child. While he was gone he learned how to build organs and pretends to come to Neusorge to restore the church organ. The villagers, with the exception of the pastor, think he drowned the day he ran away and refuse to recognize him now.

Marcus’ father is now a drunk, slightly mad and tending sheep. He doesn’t interact with the other people in the village. The mother is still supervising the orphanage, although there are far less children staying there now. She has become old and bitter, not even remotely resembling her younger self.

In the attempt to find his roots, Marcus finds his future in the slightly crazy Alena (Annika Blendl), who in turn is searching for her son at the local orphanage.

Director Thomas Wendrich’s feature film debut is lacking in any kind of emotion. Alexander Beyer’s eyes are dead the entire duration of the film. The villagers are cold and distant (as it is a custom in the North of Germany). The father and mother are left completely untouched by the unexpected return of their son and there is no spark between the new lovers Marcus and Alena. It could have been a good film but it just doesn’t work.