IMDb 5.4 2020 HD

The Trouble with Being Born

The Trouble with Being Born

2020
Drama Science Fiction
94 min NR Germany
5.113 / 10
5.4 IMDB

Elli is an android and lives with a man she calls her father. Together they drift through the summer. During the day they swim in the pool and…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Sandra Wollner / Astrid Schäfer
Starring
Lena Watson / Dominik Warta / Ingrid Burkhard / Jana McKinnon / Simon Hatzl / Susanne Gschwendtner

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

thought-provoking melancholic introspective atmospheric haunting philosophical subtle deliberate unsettling compelling abstract

Reviews

S
Sophia Reyes
Apr 5, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

In 'The Trouble with Being Born', we are presented with a poignant and disquieting look at artificial consciousness. Lena Watson is captivating as Elli, an android whose journey into selfhood is marked by the echoes of her 'father's'…

A
Arthur Finch
Apr 5, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

This is a film that demands patience. 'The Trouble with Being Born' delves into the relationship between an android, Elli, and her human companion, exploring the nature of memory and experience. Lena Watson gives a quiet but effective…

C
Chloe Davies
Apr 5, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

A deeply affecting and beautifully realised exploration of what it means to be, 'The Trouble with Being Born' is a triumph of mood and performance. Lena Watson’s portrayal of Elli is nothing short of extraordinary, capturing the awakening…

M
Marcus Bellweather
Apr 5, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

'The Trouble with Being Born' presents a fascinating, if at times opaque, study of an android grappling with borrowed memories. Lena Watson is compelling as Elli, conveying a nascent sense of self through subtle expressions and movements. The…

E
Eleanor Vance
Apr 5, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

Director Unknown crafts a quietly profound meditation on memory and existence in 'The Trouble with Being Born'. Lena Watson delivers a remarkably nuanced performance as Elli, an android whose programmed existence begins to fracture. The film eschews overt…

FAQs

Yes, 'The Trouble with Being Born' is very much a slow-burn film. It prioritises atmosphere, introspection, and thematic exploration over rapid plot development. The deliberate pacing allows audiences to immerse themselves in Elli's evolving consciousness and the quiet intensity of her relationship with her 'father,' making it a film that rewards patience and contemplation.