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23

Original title: 23 - Nichts ist so wie es scheint
  • 1998
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 39m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
7.6K
YOUR RATING
23 (1998)
When the orphaned Karl Koch and his friend David start breaking into government and military computers, an acquaintance senses that there is money in computer cracking - and travels to east Berlin to try to contact the KGB.
Play trailer1:39
1 Video
24 Photos
DramaThriller

When the orphaned Karl Koch and his friend David start breaking into government and military computers, an acquaintance senses that there is money in computer cracking - and travels to east ... Read allWhen the orphaned Karl Koch and his friend David start breaking into government and military computers, an acquaintance senses that there is money in computer cracking - and travels to east Berlin to try to contact the KGB.When the orphaned Karl Koch and his friend David start breaking into government and military computers, an acquaintance senses that there is money in computer cracking - and travels to east Berlin to try to contact the KGB.

  • Director
    • Hans-Christian Schmid
  • Writers
    • Hans-Christian Schmid
    • Michael Gutmann
    • Michael Dierking
  • Stars
    • August Diehl
    • Fabian Busch
    • Dieter Landuris
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    7.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Hans-Christian Schmid
    • Writers
      • Hans-Christian Schmid
      • Michael Gutmann
      • Michael Dierking
    • Stars
      • August Diehl
      • Fabian Busch
      • Dieter Landuris
    • 29User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 7 wins & 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:39
    Trailer

    Photos23

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    + 18
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    Top cast43

    Edit
    August Diehl
    August Diehl
    • Karl Koch
    Fabian Busch
    Fabian Busch
    • David
    Dieter Landuris
    • Pepe
    Jan-Gregor Kremp
    • Lupo
    Stephan Kampwirth
    Stephan Kampwirth
    • Jochen Maiwald
    Zbigniew Zamachowski
    Zbigniew Zamachowski
    • Sergej
    Peter Fitz
    • Brückner
    Burghart Klaußner
    Burghart Klaußner
    • Weber
    Lilly Marie Tschörtner
    • Beate
    • (as Lilly Tschörtner)
    Patrick Joswig
    • Alex
    Arnulf Schumacher
    • Seybert
    • (as Arnulf Schuhmacher)
    Sven Lehmann
    • Computerverkäufer
    Oscar Ortega Sánchez
    • Mr. Minit-Mitarbeiter
    Brigitte Janner
    • Sekretärin
    Katrin Klein
    • Sekretärin
    Hedi Kriegeskotte
    Hedi Kriegeskotte
    • Heimleiterin
    Karin Gregorek
    • Karls Stiefmutter
    Regine Zimmermann
    Regine Zimmermann
    • Pepes Freundin
    • Director
      • Hans-Christian Schmid
    • Writers
      • Hans-Christian Schmid
      • Michael Gutmann
      • Michael Dierking
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews29

    7.27.6K
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    Featured reviews

    7pbpbneatboy

    Not accurate, but fun

    23 is a 1998 German drama thriller film about a young hacker Karl Koch, who died on 23 May 1989, a presumed suicide. It was directed by Hans-Christian Schmid, who also participated in screen writing. The title derives from the protagonist's obsession with the number 23, a phenomenon often described as apophenia. Although the film was well received by critics and audiences, its accuracy has been vocally disputed by some witnesses to the real-life events on which it was based. Schmid subsequently co-authored a book that tells the story of the making of 23 and also details the differences between the movie and the actual events.
    9Warlock21

    It's indeed a great movie

    I think this is a great movie. It's focus is on the *person* Karl Koch, how he became the character he was in the end, and definitely not another "Hacker"-like movie or a story about the so-called "KGB-Hack" and how his group was finally busted. What makes this movie different from e.g. X-Files is that it is realistic; everyone can easily reconstruct how Karl Koch came to believe in the conspiracy-theories based on the "Illuminatus"-books - A believe that was increasingly strengthened by his ever increasing cocaine addiction. This is also a movie about friendship, false friends, and how friendship and trust are sacrificed to money and addiction.
    9Seamus-10

    I gave it a "9"

    "23" is one of the best german movies for a long time. It is based on the story of the life of Karl Koch (August Diehl: excellent) who was one of the best hackers of his time. 23 is the number of the Illuminators, the members of a worldwide secret society in the book "Illuminatus" by Robert Anton Wilson (who has a short guest appearance). On his high point of hacking Koch broke into the computers of US government arms control and delivered the data to the KGB. The film is a trip back to the 80's: The cold war, Olof Palme's assassination, Gadhaffi and Tschernobyl - most of the viewers will remember those things which dominated policy and influenced the all day life. The film shows the development of Karl Koch from his teenage years to his death as a person destroyed by his cocaine abuse and the extreme pressure he experienced in the wheels of eatern/western policy. This is a very good movie with very good actors-don't miss it!
    8msz

    Very good movie - with very misleading ads

    An intriguing portrait of a young man drifting away from reality. And since that young man was a famous hacker with an unhealthy interest in conspiracies, the movie has got to be about conspiracies, right? Wrong. But that's exactly what the ads would like you to think. Very bad marketing for a very good movie. And beware: it can bring you to tears!! (Just thinking about that PDP in the rain makes me weep ... *sniff*)
    7BeneCumb

    Apparently realistic, but a bit arid narration focusing on one side only

    Films dealing with real events in the past and focusing on a non-general subject should find a specific form or approach - for the sake of wider understanding and praise. In 23, the story begins auspiciously, but then the pace abates, and many scenes and characters have little meaning for the story development - or they have a role, but the viewers obtain no satisfactory clarification. The activities of law enforcement are almost not depicted at all. True, the leading performances are realistic and good (particularly August Diehl as Karl Koch), and the moods and style of the 80ies have been caught, but the run of events and the ending did not meet my expectations in full.

    Well, this story has its interesting angles at present as most of people in the 1980ies had no PC or intranet, but it is not on the level of e.g. Who Am I – Kein System ist sicher, dealing with hackers as well.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The other side of the story (the hunter's) is told in the movie The KGB, the Computer and Me (1990)
    • Goofs
      Karl Koch collapses right after the Chernobyl accident (April 1986). On what seems to be the next morning in the movie, "Glücksrad" is on the TV in the hospital. The show started on German TV no sooner than 7 November 1988.
    • Quotes

      Karl Koch: We hacked into everything we could. We took files from colleges, corporations and libraries. It was really easy most of the time. People were not creative with their passwords. Some used "password" others their pets' or wife's name. We worked at night for cheaper phone rates. Our weeks had 6 days of 28 hours. Which caused problems

    • Connections
      Featured in Alles ist eins. Ausser der 0. (2020)
    • Soundtracks
      Child in Time
      Written by Ritchie Blackmore, Ian Gillan, Roger Glover, Jon Lord and Ian Paice

      B. Feldmann & Co Ltd t/as Hec Music

      Performed by Deep Purple

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    FAQ15

    • How long is 23?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 7, 1999 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • Germany
    • Languages
      • German
      • English
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Nada es lo que parece
    • Filming locations
      • Kino International, Karl-Marx-Allee, Berlin, Germany(interior)
    • Production company
      • Claussen & Wöbke Filmproduktion GmbH
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 39 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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    23 (1998)
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