A New Leaf Media

Michael Glawogger���s Slumming is a film of contrasts, whose themes are carried through the rich diversity of characters. The film tells the story of homeless street poet Kallmann, who unwittingly becomes the butt of a joke by rich Viennese yuppies Alex and Sebastian. While Kallmann comes to exemplify a sense of displacement, Sebastian and Alex, through their meddling in the lives of others, attempt to order and compartmentalise the world around them.

Whilst the film is certainly dark, with a stream of grisly and wet cinematography, the dialogue provides a relief from the drudgery, with an emphasis on fast paced comic banter. While some of the characters in the film represent those marginalised by society, such as Kallmann and his similarly inebriated clan of women, they are presented alongside characters such as Sebastian and Alex who, despite (or perhaps because of) their wealth and opportunity feel utterly disconnected from society.

In order to mingle with the masses, Sebastian and Alex engage in the practice of ���slumming���, which sees them frequenting seedy bars, dirty arcades and internet meet-up cafes. However there is little philanthropic motivation in the activity, which allows Sebastian to covertly photograph the underwear of women he meets. One such woman is the restless Pia, who captures Sebastian���s attention through her feisty vulnerability. Upon learning of her lover���s role in Kallmann���s dislocation, she sets out to find to find the homeless man, who by now is involved in a seemingly insurmountable journey of his own.

With a list of characters that encapsulate many of the worst aspects of human nature, Slumming can hardly be described as a celebration of humanity. Nonetheless, Glawogger has skilfully crafted a film which depicts a broad range of characters who, although feeling as though they exist on the outer of the human race, have their own stories to tell.