Wer früher stirbt, ist länger tot

This movie took me completely by surprise. I had read a favorably inclined review in which it was mentioned that the film gave an interesting outlook on the effects of catholicism on children. It does so indeed, yet without ever ridiculing its subject or characters. And as if that were not enough, the film is at the same time incredibly funny.

11-year-old Sebastian is the main character who learns from his elder brother that their mother died when Sebastian was born. While this was intended as some sort of punishment for some mischief the boy was up to, the impact this news has on him was not to be foreseen... afraid of having to end up in purgatory for his sin, Sebastian is looking for ways to make himself immortal. The solutions that are suggested to him by his immediate environment are mostly questionable - yet Sebastian is more than willing to heed any advice to redeem himself.

What follows is a wild goose chase for salvation, leaving the spectator marveling at Sebastian's ingenuity and laughing about the misinterpretations that may occur when parents and teachers try to understand their children.

Dear European movie lovers, now I am going to review Wer Fruher Stirbt Ist Langer Tot, one of German comedy with deep meaning. This movie cited as comedy because the main story is whole about to make you laughing a lot from your seat, especially the theatrical scenes each night while the main character dreaming, but frightening about what he has been done at the day. The main story is so simple, is all about the imagination of a kid, who lost his mother while gave birth to him, so that friends, especially his brother made him frightened that he was the one who killed the mother. Sleeping so close to the theater club, this kid is starting to imagine in the Last Judgement, being punished, etc, so that he be friended with local radio announcer to get more positive energy and also to help his father has new girlfriend to replace her mother. The plots to finish this duty is so funny, a really German comedy with sense of religious-critic, sex scenes, and also the relationship among characters that makes this movie so adorable, funny, but having deep meaning about our life, than perhaps the Universe is just going along that way, without any personal consequences to us, but it is us who make some points complicated. Have fun with this German movie!!

This movie is about how a child growing up in a small village in the south of Germany, startled by the thought of being guilty of his mother's death, tries to find a way to find the secret to eternal life -in a funny, twisted way only possible in the mind of a kid-.

One of the great virtues of this movie is that it captures the essence of Niederbayern. Not the busty girls in Dirndls, stocky men with enormous moustaches eating Brez'n or the other usual paraphernalia surrounding the Oktoberfest: this is the REAL life in the small villages. The violent/loving affection demonstrations among acquaintances and family is there, the house interiors, the rugged language, the tell-it-like-it-is attitude, the insane tales and explanations about life told by parents to their children... Nothing is missing here.

What I resented about this movie is the lack of good acting in many of the actresses/actors and the evident US sixties and seventies' fashion and music references that seemed to permeate the director's mind. This insistence in referencing Woodstock, Elvis and hippie mysticism glitters unnecessarily in an almost uncomfortable way, polluting an otherwise amusing tale. (The kid's mother was into a hippie lifestyle while being born in 1969? Come on, she should've been more into padded shoulders and checkered patterns!) There's even a particular shot to the face of the radio DJ that seems a carbon copy of the classic "camera round trip" of the basement pot-reunions in the TV program "that 70's show".

Asides from that, it is an enjoyable movie that pays a lot of attention to detail and provides with laughs and insights into how can we perceive the world while being kids. And of course, a vivid portrait of the rural Germany, the one you don't get to see on Thomas Cooke's trip brochures.

I couldn't disagree more with the previous commentator. I saw this movie last night at the German Film Festival in Washington DC and was absolutely blown away (as was the person I watched it with). It is one of the most beautifully written movies we have ever seen. Set in rural Bavaria, the audience follows the adventures and thought processes of an 11-year old boy (played by a brilliant actor). The plot fits together perfectly, captures you completely, makes you laugh out loud hysterically at times and cry at others. The vivid portrayal of the community surrounding the boy lets you become a part of it. There was not a moment of boredom for me, and the first thing I said to my companion after the film was that I wanted to get it on DVD to watch it again. While the characterizations are larger than life, they are the farthest thing from clichés. This is a brave movie that has some of the best treatment of both youth and death that I have seen.

I really enjoyed this movie, because it made me laugh so hard even though the subject of the movie could be considered quite serious. But the way the little boy deals with his fear of going to hell after he dies is just hilarious. And it might not be the most realistic or sophisticated German movie that has ever been done, but if you want to hear Bavarians swear and argue and have a great time, this is the movie you should watch! The movie is about an 11 years old boy living somewhere in the Bavarian countryside together with his brother and father, who runs the local "Gasthaus". The boy is (what you would call) quite a brat. When he accidentally kills 3 of his brothers rabbits, his brother tells him that he will go to hell after he dies, because of all the sins he has committed, especially because he "killed" his mother, who died at his birth 11 years ago. In order to redeem his sins, he seeks advice from the local men, who always hang around at the Gasthaus, but also from the priest, his teacher and the radio host.

Very funny (if you understand the strong Bavarian accent)!!!