Eingeschlossene Gesellschaft

Sönke WORTMANN (DER BEWEGTE MANN (1994) und DAS WUNDER VON BERN (2003)) doesn't let the topic of school go: Seven years after FRAU MÜLLER MUSS WEG!, we're now heading to the inner sanctum, the teachers' room.

And things can quickly become very explosive if a father takes six teachers hostage in order to get a grade point for his son. Of course it's all a satirical drama, but it's not entirely unrealistic.

So far, around 335,000 tickets have been sold in the German box office. The ensemble is great, especially EUROVISION host Anke ENGELKE (together with Judith RAKERS and Stefan RAAB, she moderated the EUROVISION Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany) as the faded, embittered teacher of French and music. And Florian David FITZ as a sports teacher who doesn't let anything go to waste. Very enjoyable!

No pun intended - you have to suspend your disbelief! That is one of the most important thing for you to actually like, enjoy or generally have a "good" time watching the movie. The fact that the main character ... well the one that sets off the movie with his action(s) ... is not the most likeable one to begin with ... it may cripple the movie for you.

Of course if you are able to watch it through and really embrace the suspension of disbelief I talked about earlier, than you might see things that you did not expect! Especially the ending, that is ... well you may think it doesn't fit into the movie ... that it almost obliterates the premise .... but that is life ... and life can be quite ... unfair ... will it be fair to the main character or the cause he is after? Well maybe, but also maybe not. Now we just have to find out, where this all will lead us.

The road to the conclusion is a bit filled with cliches ... but that is to be expected! The really good cast is doing their best so you won't be too disappointed ...

Following the scheme of movies like 'Das perfekte Geheimnis', 'Vorname' or 'Nebenan' the movie mainly takes place at a single location in an everyday setting. More and more the secrets and stereotypes of characters unveil or they get their secrets unvealed against their will. Though, unfortunately the surprises still follow similar stereotypes. There is limited surprise to the viewer. Secondly, some scenes have too much slapstick character for a realistic setting. At times you will ask yourself if the movie wants to be taken seriously or whether it aims at being a parody. Some reactions simply are not believable at all, which is obviously okay for movies in general, yet less so for movies that do want to describe realistic scenes and serious topics like schooling system and modernization needs. Overall, this is a good movie that has its strong moments, some others that do not fit the concept though too. Surely, the movie is not a waste of time, I am just more afraid that the successful pattern of beforementioned movies is overcopied like here. There is definitely more (school) room for more creativity to bring the genre further. I am looking forward to it.

A few good laughs.

But i find it in a morale-manner very embarrassing, that a cheating and family-destroying woman is the head of feminism and voice of reason.

There is an argument about everything, but cheating is instructed as a good manner for a strong independent women. Sorry, i cant give a higher rating for a movie that doesnt get its morale compass straight.