Your
guide in English to films showing in Germany.
Opening 4 Feb 2010
Directed by:
Christoph Schaub
Writing credits:
Martin Suter
Principal actors:
Corinna Harfouch, Bruno Ganz, Stefan Kurt, André Jung, Sunnyi Melles
The saying goes “everybody wants to get old, but nobody wants to be old”. Don’t think that only the elderly are aware of age. Jessica and Fatima, the two 14-year old girls, cannot wait to be eighteen. Meanwhile, they try their hand at shoplifting a birthday present for the 18-year old boy they both have a crush on.
Cranky Leonie, in the senior citizen’s home, has not much of a choice at her 80th birthday but is still energetic enough to rebel against the way she is treated. Spoiling her own party by throwing the cake at her guests seems to be a bit over the top – but who knows what I would do when reaching eighty.
Well-groomed Guilia has planned to celebrate her 50th birthday in style together with some close friends. But where is she, and what happened to her? Everyone has already arrived at the restaurant. Some bickering goes on between the couples, the conversation has one topic only – you guessed it – it’s all about aging, or rather about staying young. An amusing scene is when the menu cards arrive and simultaneously the reading glasses appear on everyone’s nose. Eventually, not Guilia arrives but sexy, vibrant and age-defying Alessia joins the table. In the age of mobile telephones the friends discover that Guilia has decided not to be reached. Instead she is entertained by a charming but mysterious man, both are flirting with their age, or better said, with agelessness.
Director Christoph Schaub has chosen some of Germany’s best actresses and actors for this light comedy, like Corinna Harfurch, Sunnyi Melles, Bruno Ganz, Stefan Kurt and André Jung. Martin Suter’s script calls for witty, clever, and sometimes cynical dialogue. Admittedly, it is a bit tedious to listen to the subject of aging for ninety minutes. (Birgit Schrumpf)
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