Enlightenment Guaranteed
Encyclopedia
Erleuchtung garantiert is a 2002 German film directed by Doris Dörrie
about two brothers, Uwe (Uwe Ochsenknecht
) and Gustav (Gustav-Peter Wöhler), who travel to Japan
to sort out the mess of their lives. Their plan is to visit the Sojiji Monastery in Monzen, near Tokyo
. On their way there, in a rather literal Buddhist moment, they lose all of their belongings. When they at last make it to the monastery, they find that even there, enlightenment
can be elusive.
This film could almost be a sequel to Men..., Dörrie's landmark 1980s film with the same starring actors (albeit as different characters) and a similar existential storyline, and was sometimes billed as such.
Doris Dörrie
Doris Dörrie is a German film director, producer and author.-Life and work:Dörrie completed her secondary education at a humanist Gymnasium. In 1973 she began a two-year attendance in film studies, in the drama department of the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. She then studied...
about two brothers, Uwe (Uwe Ochsenknecht
Uwe Ochsenknecht
Uwe Adam Ochsenknecht is a German actor and singer.-Work:Films Uwe Ochsenknecht has starred in include Schtonk!, Das Boot and the TV miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune.-Personal life:...
) and Gustav (Gustav-Peter Wöhler), who travel to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to sort out the mess of their lives. Their plan is to visit the Sojiji Monastery in Monzen, near Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. On their way there, in a rather literal Buddhist moment, they lose all of their belongings. When they at last make it to the monastery, they find that even there, enlightenment
Enlightenment (spiritual)
Enlightenment in a secular context often means the "full comprehension of a situation", but in spiritual terms the word alludes to a spiritual revelation or deep insight into the meaning and purpose of all things, communication with or understanding of the mind of God, profound spiritual...
can be elusive.
This film could almost be a sequel to Men..., Dörrie's landmark 1980s film with the same starring actors (albeit as different characters) and a similar existential storyline, and was sometimes billed as such.