Today is Lara’s 60th birthday, which happens to fall on the same day as her pianist son’s career-defining concert. A failed pianist herself, Lara spends the time before his performance pacing about Berlin—boiling with jealousy, nerves, and pride—trying to get hold of her elusive son.

Jan Ole Gerster’s long-awaited follow-up to the slacker film A Coffee in Berlin could not be more different. This mordantly fascinating portrait of maternal jealousy and thwarted ambition, anchored by a powerful performance from Corinna Harfouch, gives fresh meaning to the idea of tough love.