Regie:
Wolfgang BeckerKamera:
Martin KukulaMusik:
Yann TiersenBesetzung:
Daniel Brühl, Katrin Saß, Maria Simon, Chulpan Khamatova, Florian Lukas, Alexander Beyer, Burghart Klaußner, Michael Gwisdek, Marc Bischoff (mehr)Inhalte(1)
Ost-Berlin, Sommer 1990: Christiane lag acht Monate lang im Koma und hat den Fall der Berliner Mauer einfach verschlafen. Um ihr unnötige Aufregung zu ersparen, lässt ihr Sohn Alex die DDR in ihrer Wohnung wieder aufleben. Kein leichtes Unterfangen. Ost-Berlin, Sommer 1990: Deutschland steht vor der Wiedervereinigung. In irrwitzigem Tempo wird der sozialistische Traum entsorgt. DDR-Produkte verschwinden aus den Regalen, Coca-Cola-Banner schmücken Plattenbauten. Eine Übernahme im Handstreich. Nur für den 21-jährigen Alex geht erst einmal nichts voran. Kurz vor Öffnung der Mauer fiel seine Mutter Christiane, eine verdiente Aktivistin der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik und Gorbatschow-Anhängerin, ins Koma – und verschlief den Siegeszug des Kapitalismus. Als sie nach acht Monaten die Augen wieder aufschlägt, erwacht sie in einem neuen Land. Sie hat nicht miterlebt, wie West-Autos und Fast-Food-Ketten den Osten überrollten – wie hastig zusammenwachsen soll, was zusammengehört. Lenin ist von seinem Sockel gestiegen. Die Faust zum sozialistischen Gruß gereckt, schwebt er von einem Helikopter baumelnd ein letztes Mal durch die Straßen der Hauptstadt. "Good Bye, Lenin!" – Welcome D-Mark. Erfahren darf sie von all dem nichts: Zu angeschlagen ist ihr schwaches Herz, als dass sie die Aufregung überstehen würde. Alex ist keine Atempause gegönnt. Um seine Mutter zu schützen, lässt er nun auf 79 Quadratmetern Plattenbau die DDR wiederauferstehen. Schnell stellt er fest, dass dieser Plan schwieriger umzusetzen ist als erwartet. (arte)
(mehr)Kritiken (7)
Eine ziemlich einfache und unauffällige Geschichte in Form eines Dramas mit einem etwas schmunzelnden Subtext, der die Bemühungen eines Sohnes schildert, für seine Mutter nach dem Fall der Berliner Mauer die beste Illusion von Gesellschaft zu schaffen. Angenehme Musik (u. a. aus Amélie), ansprechende Kameraführung und gut gemachte Schnitte. Die Handlung selbst ist einfach, aber sie hat es trotzdem geschafft, meine Aufmerksamkeit zu fesseln, daher ein Extrapunkt. Einer der besseren deutschen Filme!
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The comedy label is very misleading in this case. This is definitely not a romp, but rather a sensitively conceived film about filial love, the nooks and crannies of family relationships and coping with sudden social and political changes in one's country. The certain naivety of the script in the son's masking of reality from his mother cannot be overlooked, but that would be my only complaint. I would probably enjoy it more if I were German and had experienced all the changes myself. Becker seems to have hit the bull's-eye, because Goodbye Lenin was the most successful film of the year in its country of origin.
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No hint of comedy at any single moment of the entire two hours of running time. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The theme alone is a gold mine. Too bad that the creators didn’t get anything out of it. And it is doubly disappointing that throughout Wolfgang Becker gets stuck on a thousand and one variations of the same scene. Even so, Goodbye, Lenin is a good picture because it entertains, but not using humor. If nothing else, it at least makes an attempt to come to terms with the past - whether it is successful, apt and dignified in doing so, I shall leave you to decide. This movie is utterly incomparable with the Czech “romp" Pupendo which at first glance is very similar, but at second glance everything is different. ♫ OST score: 4/5
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A smart and above-average satire, not just by German standards, on so-called "ostalgia" - the nostalgic longing for the old certainties of real socialism in the former East Germany (GDR). We know this phenomenon in a weaker form in the Czech Republic as well. The film is built on an excellent idea supported by a well-developed script and decent, imaginative direction. The actors are well-cast and mostly good in their roles. However, those who can truly appreciate this film are the ones who lived through that era and understand it. Overall impression: 85%.
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I'd be happier if the film was more often in the comedy groove and didn't slide into the hundred times seen family drama where everyone has a different cross to bear. The movie actually manages to be really funny (the fake news made by the friend of the hero). I’m giving it four stars not so much because of the decent direction and likable main character, but rather because of the novel idea of a character balancing between two systems, from which he picks and chooses elements to shape a world he really wants to live in. The film goes a little left, but knows when to stop, and works in much the same way as modern WWII cinema – it no longer depicts only the vile Nazis, beasts in human form, but also the hateful actions of the liberated side (the forced marches, the shooting of the collaborators, the abuse of women who slept with officers). And on balance, it’s right, because I'm convinced that if the regime hadn't fallen overnight, but had slowly eaten itself from the inside out until people realized they lived in a free country, 19% (19%!!!!!!) wouldn't vote the fucking commies back in.
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Rewatching the movie today, I felt like going back in time to another journey back in time. I enjoyed it just like I did the first time. It's just that I liked different things about it this time. When I first watched the movie, I was drawn in by the plot and the extreme actions taken by the main character. Today, my focus shifted to the making of TV shows for a single viewer, showcasing how easily the same shot can be repurposed for different propaganda. While the main character was only misleading his mother (for her own good), the brainwashing orchestrated by states (or other institutions) corrals the human herd into a singular, supposedly correct framework for the greater common good. / Lesson learned: Don't make the same mistake I did. Be cautious about speaking your mind; someone might notice...
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This film serves as an intriguing parallel to the regime that the main character tries to keep alive for his mother. Even that regime was just an illusion that had to come to an end. Acting-wise, the film is excellent and Daniel Brühl shows that he truly has had abilities throughout his career and I just hope to see him more often.
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