2,5 hours of misery - worst movie in a while

Rating: 2/10 (17 December 2009)

This is about the worst movie I have seen in a while. The acting was very good though, especially by the children (very expressive and believable), which is why I give 2 out of 10. Overall, the movie is just depressing from start to finish. It's a long one (2,5 hours) but it felt like being much, much longer. I was thinking of leaving the theatre earlier, but then figured I'd waited long enough already, and perhaps the end would explain it all. Well, there was no end. The movie just stopped at some point. Yes it is a portrayal of people in a German village just before WWI, but the thing is, hatred, brutality and disgust are so dominant in this whole movie, that no other emotion seems possible (except for a little love story, which makes up for only about 5% of the whole story though). Discipline, self-hatred and hatred of others, abuse (of children also), punishment. These are the themes. And they are being shown in a depressingly dense and one-dimensional manner. I cannot relate to any comparison to Lars van Trier movies (which I just read in another comment), because this movie here does not have any hope or lust for life in it. This is such a typical German way of portraying the evil. And I had so looked forward to this one, because it was supposed to tell us something about the "old" Germany, without being a movie about WWII and the Nazis, like most other successful German movies are. Look at "Life is Beautiful" in comparison. It's an Italian movie, yes, and one can so much feel that. It is full of hope and also joy, yes joy, despite the tragic theme. But this one? Forget it. It gave me the creeps. I regret not having left the theatre earlier. If you want to watch 2,5 hours of misery, go and see this movie. Otherwise, save both your precious time as well as money. No wonder that the best "German" director these days is not German, but Turkish (Fatih Akin). I am utterly disappointed. I couldn't care less about the characters, despite some very good acting. Amazed at the Golden Globe nomination.