Männer wie wir

Director Sherry Horman and writer Benedikt Gollhardt have not introduced any new ideas in 'Männer wie wir' ('Guys and Balls') - team sports dependent on camaraderie, outsiders getting the last laugh, coming out stories with sports as a background, homophobia to the max, and stereotypical depictions of gay men - but they have created a movie that has enough charm to get past all of the above. It is that kind of movie that makes you groan 'Oh no, not again', but then ends up making you feel warm and sentimental despite yourself! Ecki (a very charismatic and hunky Maximilian Brückner) has grown up in a rural town, the son of a baker, and a committed soccer fan since childhood. Now as a young man he is sought after by his girlfriend Cordula (Melody Sitta) but is unable to respond to her advances. As the popular goalie on his soccer team he is hailed until quite by accident he is discovered in warm embrace with a teammate: the teammate and the team trash him for being gay, his father (Dietmar Bär) throws him out of the house, and poor Ecki departs for Dortmund to live with his sister, swearing to his team that he will return with a gay soccer team to defeat the homophobic jerks.

Ecki and his sister Susanne (Lisa Potthoff) pair off to find gay team players and find them they do, in the strangest places (this is where the film sags due to the stereotypes the director elected to cast). Ecki creates a solid team, falls in love with his sister's co-worker nurse Sven (David Rott) and despite some minor setbacks, the team boards the bus to return to Ecki's hometown to face off the enemy home team. Yes, it ends as you would imagine, but along the way the writer and director manage to make a few healthy comments about being true to yourself and your convictions.

Despite everything predictable about the film, the actors - Brückner, Roth, Potthoff, Bär, Carlo Ljubek, Saskia Vester et al - bring a homespun credibility to the story. This is one of those films that requires forgiving its shortcomings to just enjoy the ride.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It's a well-made and entertaining comedy. It was my favorite film at the festival (out of 10 that I saw).

Yes... as others have noted, a lot of the comedy stems from a group of major characters fitting a checklist of the most common gay stereotypes. But it's all done in a way that's non-offensive, lighthearted, well-written, well-acted, and just funny as heck. I think you have to want to be offended to have a problem with it. And the main character (Ecki) is about as "normal" as can be. (...not to mention adorable and lovable.) Anyway, the film-making was excellent. The pace was perfect, and the plot struck a good balance of levity; it was serious enough that I cared about the characters, but stayed upbeat and fun as well.

Highly recommended.

Sure, this movie follows a formula, actually many formulas, about gay vs. straight flicks, soccer flicks, sports hero flicks, guy gets the guy flicks - but it does them all VERY well and with both love and humour. Although there is every cliché in the book here about masculinity and coming out, there is an equal emphasis on NON-stereotypical gay men. Ercin the Turkish player is as nelly as they come but hey, he's a Turk represented in a German soccer flick, AND his Dad is obviously 100% supportive and proud of him, fluffy hand-gestures and all. Hotte may be a stereotypical leather guy, but he's also a juggernaut on the field who strikes terror in his opponents. Our hero is so gosh-golly "straight-looking" that I had trouble believing in him as a gay guy in the opening sequence, but his dalliances with Sven change all that. I've been out since 1979 and have seen ALL the big- name "gay" movies. Some good, some downright awful. This one felt real, was engaging from the outset and made me laugh, good hearty belly-laughs, from end to end. I loved it. You will too.

I found the movie very entertaining, sometimes it was pushing the stereotypes, but it was never ever insulting. Actually it was a gay friend that recommended me to watch the movie. As a matter of fact, the movie portrayed gay men as very diverse showing different personalities with different attributes. It is a great comedy, not comparable to ridiculously and sometimes even offending movies like "Traumschiff Enterprise". Maenner wie wir paints a very positive picture of gay men and does hold a very supporting view in a comedian fashion. In fact, every major character shows understanding and respect for gay men by the end of the movie. I have to add that I thought the acting of Eckis parents (Saskia Vester and Dietmar Baer) was just great.

I just recently watched "Guys and Balls" and thought it superb. It far exceeded my expectations. What a pleasant surprise since so many gay themed movies flop on arrival.

It's basically about a young man named Ecki, played brilliantly by (Maximilian Bruckner) who gets busted kissing another guy and is outed to his friends and family. He is then subsequently booted from his local soccer team. Angry, he them challenges them to a soccer match made up by his soon to be all-gay football squad. He leaves home and goes to live with his sister while assembling a rag tag group of gay men who are appalling at playing the game and comprise of every gay cliché on the market. Still, these stereotypes are not offensive, mainly because all the players come across as such nice guys. Ecki, also falls for Sven, an attractive male nurse at the hospital where his sister works. Both these guys are cast perfectly, making for a sweet and believable couple.

If you want to settle back and watch a pleasant, funny, romantic movie with a heartwarming ending, then "Guys and Balls" is the movie for you. I watched it, loved it and now I own it.