Zones Humides

I came across this movie randomly as a listing on the web and decided I was going to watch it on Netflix. Considering the fact I have never watched a German movie, I started watching this with the idea that things going on in the movie were normal to Germans. I found that absurd and disgusting.

I'll later come to understand that it is the Director David Wnendt who is a bit sick, not Germany. The film then started to make sense from that perspective. A dark humor, an escape from reality and the social norms of what is approved if you will. It's a coming of age movie about a girl who is somewhat discovering herself and dealing with the divorce of her parents.

The general package is good. Like many European movies I have seen, you sort of feel attached to the characters, like you are there in the movie. The editing, music choice and colors are also warm and in tune with the film.

Wetlands exceeded my expectations.

Here I was thinking in my head another borderline porno movie with no soul bad acting bad direction and weak screenplay.

But damn What I got was a refreshing tale of a girl....who ain't like anything(almost) like the teen girls you see in the western or asian or any movies.

A girl with hemmorhoids who has very disgusting habits.

But the plot deepened and offered me an almost engaging fun sexual drama that was very well acted out.

Ofc Carla Juli in her debut as Helen memel is very likeable but at the same time has very disturbing and disgusting habits.

She did a fantastic job and delivered a very energetic performance.

The supporting cast were amazing too.

The pacing was not perfect but fine.

The soundtrack were good So I won't go around writing a whole para about the whole story just wanna say that

Watch it you won't be disappointed but maybe disgusted.

There is nothing that could concise David Wnendt's Feuchtgebiete aka Wetlands in a single word. Well if one's given the liberty to express what they'd seen or rather witnessed in a plethora of words, it'd most likely be something close to obscene, disgusting, repulsive and most of all shocking. If you've seen its red band previews, you can figure out instantly whether the movie is for you or not. On the other hand if you thought this'd be a usual sex- comedy with some gross factor, believe me when I tell ya what you saw in the preview is nothing compared to the movie. Nothing will prepare you for Wetlands' odd 105 minutes.

Greeted initially with a splendid shot of a skater girl, it quickly goes downhill before you can say "ugh". Wetlands follows the sexual and unhygienic adventures of Helen Memel, a girl who is hellbent on making her life as unhygienic as possible and labeling it as her 'experiments'. Helen played charmingly by Carla Juri, is on an experiment with her own genitals and whatnot as she initially states in the movie. Its kind of a parallel she draws with how she feels for her parents and their divorce. While light at heart, the seemingly damaged 18 year old as Helen may seem it also brings out how bad she needed to be loved.

Beneath the layers of her weird habits and unimaginable sexual fantasies, lies the conflict with herself and an intense yearning for her parents' reconciliation. And Carla Juri does justice to the role. Her performance was inexplicably good, shuffling from cute and sexy to crude and repelling seemed like an easy feat for her. Right from the CG titles, her narration reminded me sorely of David Fincher's Fight Club.

I for one consider myself hardened, watching movies like A Serbian Film, The Human Centipede, Martyrs, Inside, Hostel or even Salo but there were scenes in Wetlands that truly deserved to be called cringe worthy. I wouldn't suggest Wetlands for the faint of heart/stomach or the more perverse either. As evident from the trailers this was marketed as a over the top raunchy comedy but if you overlook all those gross and perverse segments (which is hard I know), there is a sensibly written story about the perils a late- adolescent girl goes though be it physical or emotional. This movie does a decent or rather an indecent job of blending the aversion with a story of someone who aches for some love. I wonder if the same would work had it been a male lead, and of course an immediate reminiscence was Qaushiq Mukherjee's Gandu.

This is without a doubt the most disgusting film I've ever seen. The number of scenes in the movie that make you go "OMG" are probably not countable on one or even two hands.

However, the disgusting parts are never there just to arouse disgust. It is all done with a certain amount of grace and balance, by the director but by the main actress as well. I found myself having a good laugh a large number of times.

The main actress by the way is truly awesome, beautiful and appealing, and totally fit for the part.

There is enough of a storyline to make the movie interesting besides the focus on sex and filthy things.

I really totally recommend seeing this movie.

I have to admit, I never read the novel this is based on. But I'm guessing the people who don't like the movie at all (which is fine), either haven't read the book or don't like the book. I'm saying this, because what you are getting here, is very close to adult films. Something people in Germany (censors that is), do not have a problem with (the movie is rated 16+).

I can only guess the movie will be NC-17 (if they rate it) in America. There are explicit images of male genitalia, a lot bare breasts (though mostly of our main female lead). With all that said, I went into the movie with the impression I wouldn't like it at all. And maybe it didn't really need all those ... (sometimes disgusting) "shots" (no pun intended) or the language. But the central story about someone looking for love and not being able to connect (because of their weird childhood, to say the least), is strangely appealing ...