Afire: the two friends at the center of Christian Petzold’s drama could not be more different: one, a young writer, is insecure, moody, incredibly self-centered, and confrontational, while the other, an aspiring photographer, is accommodating, obsequious almost to a fault. Maybe their sojourn in a cabin was doomed from the start, but the presence of a third wheel, a lively and whip-smart young woman, didn’t make things any easier. The characters are effectively defended, respectively, by Thomas Schuber, Langston Uibel, and Paula Beer. Their inter-relationship can be contentious, but it is complex and fulfilling to watch, and the film also lands beautifully. The film is aesthetically simple but elegant, well shot by cinematographer Hans Fromm and given a pleasurable pace by editor Bettina Böhler.