First the good: The acting is engaging and the photography is, at times, inspired. The subtitles are very good translations (I am a native German speaker).
Unfortunately, the storyline is trite - "oddball outcasts find strength and friendship during an impromptu road trip" - still, what could have been a new angle on this oft-told tale, or a really engaging film about the struggles of young people who don't quite fit into our 'normal' and are marginalized, is ultimately neither.
For me the most regrettable fail occurs just when I was ready to make an emotional investment in the main character; the protagonist (MINOR SPOILER HERE) chases and hurts some rude kids. This might have been forgivable had the protagonist not been 27 years old, more than twice the age of the kids (who were impudent but no physical threat). The movie continues as if nothing untoward had occurred, which troubled me even more. Even allowing that this was a set up for the road trip, the casual dismissal of violence against children made me uneasy. Worse, later on there is more unjustifiable physical violence.
Similarly the rest of the movie vacillates between humorous lightness and harsh realities, and that, along with the uneven pace and the (for me) awful choice of musical score (except the classical music, which I liked) left me with the impression that I had just watched a glossy 'After School Special' with a confusing message.
I would have given the movie a 6.5, but didn't feel it merits rounding up to 7.
Unfortunately, the storyline is trite - "oddball outcasts find strength and friendship during an impromptu road trip" - still, what could have been a new angle on this oft-told tale, or a really engaging film about the struggles of young people who don't quite fit into our 'normal' and are marginalized, is ultimately neither.
For me the most regrettable fail occurs just when I was ready to make an emotional investment in the main character; the protagonist (MINOR SPOILER HERE) chases and hurts some rude kids. This might have been forgivable had the protagonist not been 27 years old, more than twice the age of the kids (who were impudent but no physical threat). The movie continues as if nothing untoward had occurred, which troubled me even more. Even allowing that this was a set up for the road trip, the casual dismissal of violence against children made me uneasy. Worse, later on there is more unjustifiable physical violence.
Similarly the rest of the movie vacillates between humorous lightness and harsh realities, and that, along with the uneven pace and the (for me) awful choice of musical score (except the classical music, which I liked) left me with the impression that I had just watched a glossy 'After School Special' with a confusing message.
I would have given the movie a 6.5, but didn't feel it merits rounding up to 7.