There are films (mostly independent films) that, by their very nature, come across in their boiled-down form as tough films to endure: "A man falls in love with a sex doll." "A Colombian immigrant serves as a drug mule to New York." "A school is terrorized by two youths on a killing rampage." These pitches feel cold, clammy, ruinous and grim. And yet, those films -- Lars and the Real Girl, Maria Full of Grace and Elephant, in the examples given above -- are so much more than those simplistic summaries, and reward those bold enough to seek them out despite their off-putting one-line plot capsules. Irina Palm, opening today in limited release, is another example of the above phenomenon. If I tell you that Irina Palm revolves around a woman in her mid-50's who becomes a sex worker, you will most probably recoil from the very thought of the film. And yet, Irina Palm -- anchored by a sincere, wrenching performance by Marianne Faithfull in the lead role -- is so much more than that, and those with the courage to seek it out will benefit from their boldness.

Though it might not be deserving of the wild cheers it received following the press screening, Irina Palm is quirky enough to entertain, if not a little too melodramatic. Recently, there's been a wave of "conservative middle-aged women take part in bizarre sexually-related acts for a good cause"-type flicks (see: Calendar Girls). So, it's not surprising to see filmmakers trying to up the ante -- add a tad more edge -- and see how the crowd reacts. Here in Europe, they go crazy for stuff like this; back home in the States ... not so much. We'd rather see Lindsay Lohan in bizarre sexually-related acts than a woman old enough to be, and playing, a grandmother. A chuckle or three is enough to get people in the seats these days, and Irina Palm has more -- yet, with its predictable plot and awkward tone shifts, it's hard to declare it a must see.

Maggie (Marianna Faithfull), a widowed grandmother, has found herself stuck between a rock and a really hard place: Her grandson is sick, and without the proper treatment, he could die within the next two months. When a new experimental surgery becomes available, Maggie -- along with her son and daughter-in-law -- jump at the chance to sign little Ollie up. However, there's a catch: while the surgery is pro bono, the family must fly from England to Australia since that's the only place the operation can be performed. Having already sold her house, as well as accepted a generous amount of donations from friends and neighbors living in her uptight, conservative community, Maggie is completely tapped out of funds. And so are Ollie's parents. With large amounts of debt piling up and no bank willing to give her a loan, employment agencies practically laugh in her face; an elderly woman, with no prior work experience, looking for a job? Yeah, right.

It's taken seven days, but members of the press here in Berlin finally got the chance to stand up and cheer for a competition film following this afternoon's press screening of Irina Palm. Since I arrived here last week, I have not heard the Berlinale Palast crowd sound quite as enthusiastic, as the films screening during the first half of the festival left little to be desired.

It couldn't have come at a more perfect time -- this morning's offering, The Other, was yet another snooze fest, and the vibe around Potsdamer Platz on this, the seventh straight day of rain, was dreary, anxious and fed up. What's sure to become one of the best reviewed films Berlinale has offered thus far, Irina Palm follows the misadventures of a widowed grandmother who takes on a job at a sex shop in order to help pay for her terminally ill grandson's medical expenses. Not only is it funny (the crowd erupted in applause several times throughout the film), but its cast, led by the subtly charming Marianne Faithfull, delivers one knock-out punch after another. Stay tuned to Cinematical, as I'll have my review of Irina Palm up at some point today ... hopefully.