The Edukators

I have to issue a few words of warning first:

Don't see this movie after you have just enjoyed a really good Hollywood-production (as I did). Because if you do you may at first be put off a little bit by the quality of this digital productions that does not quite come up to 35mm-standards.

You will notice this for about 10 seconds.

Two hours later however you won't quite understand anymore what exactly it was you liked so much about this great Hollywood-movie that suddenly seems to be so shallow, so void of real issues and characters ...

This is a wonderful, wonderful gem of a movie that won't bore you even for a second and will keep you thinking for days and days.

I don't want to go into the plot here (see for yourself), just that: This is NOT a movie that can be summed up in one statement. It is a film about political activism, love, friendship, ideals in life and how we betray them, the generation if 1968 and what became of them, the dynamics of small groups and, and, and...

To wrap so much relevant issues into a gripping, highly entertaining and even funny story for me is a real miracle in scriptwriting. The dialogues are outstanding.

Of course the main reason this movie works so well is the fantastic cast. All four main characters are absolutely phenomenal and of course Danny Bruehl and Julia Jentsch show again that they are the best German actors of their generation.

This movie touches you emotionally, gives you food for thought and entertains immensely at the same time. For me it is the best movie I have seen this year.

This is what cinema should be like.

I went to this film expecting a comedy in the mold of "Sonnenallee" or "Good Bye Lenin", and I wasn't disappointed. The characters became very real to me, even Hardenberg, the kidnapped businessman, who was a bit wooden at the beginning. For me, the best part of the film was watching the relationships build between all 4 of the main characters, both before and after the kidnapping. There is really very little action in the film: it's more about watching the characters develop personally and in their dealings with each other. Lest this sound too dry, I found the film quite humorous at times, exciting and emotionally intense. The conclusion is left open to interpretation--but you'll have to watch the film quite carefully to have the data you need to make your own interpretation! Highly recommended!

I went to see the film completely unprepared, and I left the theatre rather euphoric. I liked the film because of the amiable story, the roughly-sketched but believable characters (even if we don't learn too much about their backgrounds) and the funny, witty dialog. And last but not least the surprise in the end -- until three minutes to the end I wouldn't have had an idea how to end a story like this.

The four main characters were cast exceptionally well, and the dialog -- whew! Yes, the kidnappers seem very naive (so does the manager, btw, in another way), and the words they use are heavy with cliché, but it's not a message of any kind that's new and interesting. It's what happens beyond words: I've rarely seen people in a movie talk and talk so much about convictions and ideology, but all the really important things happen inside them and without words.

So go and watch this film but don't jump on the political statements. Things might have some more layers here.

the edukators is a hugely enjoyable film that perfectly balances the human themes of friendship, love and trust with it's more political undertones.

the main characters are all performed with warmth and a playfulness that keeps the human side of the story engaging, while the plot develops with continual twists and tension. of course the idealism and activism of the protagonists plays a central roll, but the film never falls to the temptation to preach or bog itself down with weighty polemic.

all in all, the edukators is a breath of fresh air that is both satisfying to the head and the heart. highly recommended.

The first review I read of this movie criticized the camera work. I wonder why? For an indie production, this was a surprisingly high quality film and nowhere near as jerky as, say, Cloverfield. If you tend towards sea-sickness and have been avoiding watching this film for that reason then rest assured that there is no need to bring a sick bag to the viewing.

Having said that, I found the Edukators to be a well developed character drama that pulled the carpet out from under my feet just when it started to get too comfortable. The three central, activist characters have perfect amount of cynicism, idealism and vulnerability. Their views never came across as preachy, merely pragmatic. But then I'm left wing, so I guess I would say that - however, the 'other side of the story' gets a chance to be heard in the form of Mr. Hardenberg. As a child of a baby boomer I found him to be a familiar character, full of his generation's mournful sense of complicity in corruption. The only complaint i had is that the action drags a bit towards the end, but this is compensated for by the clever twist at the ending.

It's hard to find a story out there that actually contributes emotional depth to the 'capitalist vs. socialist' debate instead of focusing on rhetoric. That's why I am thankful to the makers of this film for contributing such a solid story to the mix. I would definitely recommend it to any activist friends who want to think beyond the next demo and/or leafletting session.