In July

Free-spirited Juli (Christiane Paul) sells dull, naive schoolteacher Daniel (Moritz Bleibtreu) a sun motif ring from her market stall, telling him that the one he is fated to be with wears a similar design.

She plans to orchestrate such a miraculous coincidence, but arrives just as Daniel is leaving with sun-motif-bearing Melek (Idil Üner), who is looking for a place to stay before she flies out to Istanbul in the morning.

Immediately smitten, Daniel uncharacteristically decides to follow Melek to Istanbul, planning a surprise rendez-vous on the bridge over the Bosphorus.

For her vacation, Juli decides to go wherever the first car that stops will take her. It's Daniel's car and Juli sees this as a second chance to convince him of his true destiny...

This romantic comedy road movie from Germany immediately grabs your attention with its exceptionally strong opening.

Unfortunately, and perhaps inevitably, it cannot sustain this early high throughout, losing its way somewhat later on and sometimes trying just that bit too hard to be quirky and cool. But the low points - an unnecessary car chase, a music video moment too many - are offset by plenty pitched just right.

Even if it doesn't completely win you over, In July should at least raise a few smiles. Not an essential film by any means, but possibly a welcome distraction from more self-consciously serious fare.