"Cowgirl" is a German German-language movie from 2004, so this one will have its 15th anniversary next year already. Director is Mark Schlichter and he is also one of the writers working on this one. It is based on a novel and let me add right away that I am writing this review as somebody who has not read said novel and I cannot talk about parallels and differences, just talk about the film itself. And there is not too much positive I can say here. Alexandra Maria Lara in the lead (certainly a bigger star back then than today) has some charme that rather comes from her looks than from great range. Not that the character would have needed it though. But well, the women seems so stupid and unreasonable at times that it just feels impossible for me (as a man) to like her or want her to become happy. Möhring and Lohmeyer as the two key supporting players aren't really any better, even if the script is obviously not doing them any favors. The story feels pretty unrealistic at times, basically everything in the second half from the moment when she meets her crush again and is somewhat drawn into the world of crime. Still it is all about the comedy, maybe about romance too, but honestly my heart never felt toughed watching this one. Then again I did not laugh a lot, if at all. So the relatively low rating here on imdb is accurate I must say. There isn't a single production value here that is above average, let alone very good and it's always sad to see so many writers coming up with such a mess. You can say that the film is ahead of its time for sure, but also only in the negative sense because the approach and execution remind me of many recent German comedies by Schweighöfer for example that are just as bad, maybe even worse. But this movie here goes out on a low note as well as honestly the way she talks there on her bicycle about never giving him a chance again and then of course falling for hight immediate right afterwards is downright cringeworthy and it is just one of many moments that fit this description. The best thing about the film? That it stays comfortably under the 90-minute mark. 2 out of 5 is still on the generous side. The title references with the cowboy hat feels also really vague and pointless, but maybe that's also because now in 2018 cowgirls are not exactly a cute beauty ideal anymore the way they may have been at the beginning of the new millennium. In any case, do not watch.
Review of Cowgirl
