Rápido e Indolor

There are German films that aren't relationship comedies or delve into recent history. This film is a gangster melodrama, set in the Turkish community of Hamburg Altona. We care about the fates of the colourful, not-always-do-goods, emphasise with their struggle against the life they live. KURZ UND SCHMERZLOS manages to reach a rare quality: it feels "real".

Kurz Und Schmerzloz (or Short, Sharp Shock for the English title) from the Turkish writer/director Fatih Akin is a German drama that takes place in Altona, a well known neighbourhood of Hamburg, the westernmost urban borough to be more precise. I've been there several times so I recognized some places which is always enjoyable. The story was also recognizable at times, reminded me my youth years when friendship was the most important thing in the world. It's an interesting drama, easy to follow, and well acted. All foreign and unknown actors to me but they were all very convincing. It's not a high budget movie but it's well made, which proves that you don't always have to have a high budget to make a good movie.

In the light of Faith Akin's 2004 'Gegen die Wand', 'Kurz und Schmerzlos' is relatively The most impressive point of the movie is the grim poverty which penetrates into the close friendship between Gabriel, Costa, and Bobby. Even though these three members of the Greco-Turkish-Serbian gang have sufficient amount of goodwill and mutual respect for, their inferiority complexes, combined with poverty, have detrimental effects on all of them.

Bobby, hungry for more street respect, starts to work for an Albanian mafioso, and Costa joins his friend reluctantly as an experienced car thief. Gabriel, fresh from jail, tries to stop his two best buddies from joining the thugs. When Gabriel attempts this in his street-smart way, however, he further pushes his two buddies into the hands of the mafia.

As Faith Akin recently reconfirmed with his 2004 movie 'Gegen die Wand', the Turco-German director applies his knowledge about marginal immigrant societies in Germany to his movies. The result is a fascinating, modestly grim, and interesting movies which continue to bring Akin worldwide acclaim and admiration.

Don't know why somebody wrote this ridiculous Nazi AND Porno thing, but most definitely he hasn't seen or understood the movie. Great actors, intriguing story, great soundtrack. Haven't seen anybody ( including my turkish buddies ) who didn't love this movie.

It is truly a shame that this film was overshadowed by the overhyped Lola Rennt. I really enjoyed this film, which has a grit to it that can only be present with realistic characters. Watching this film, it was easy to identify with the characters, whose feelings and emotions are real (unlike many a Hollywood flick).

Ralf Herforth is convincing as the Albanian gangster Muhamer, and the other unknown actors do a great job portraying their characters.