Bereit sien. Immer bereit. East Germany, Leipzig, '90s. The Berlin Wall has fallen and the GDR is no more. The wind of change blew, and these changes especially affected the younger generation of the time. What happens next? What tests will you have to pass? This is to be seen by the characters of the picture.
Dani, Rico, Paul, Mark and Pitbull were just yesterday pioneers who had a future and knew what they wanted in life. They lived as society told them, striving for a bright socialist future. And today they live in a completely different country, in which devastation and chaos reign. There are no more prohibitions, there are no more adults who say what is bad and what is good, there is only a sense of freedom. This freedom is intoxicating, elevates to heaven and does not let go for a long time, firmly clutching the claws of temptation. It is much harder for young people to pass these temptations, they do not resist and succumb to them. Nightclubs, alcohol, car theft became an integral part of their lives. What does this life lead to?
Andreas Dresen wrote the screenplay for Clemens Mayer’s best-selling film When We Dreamed. He wanted to tell the story of "lost youth," which he certainly did. The film perfectly conveys the spirit of that time, keeps in tension and interest from beginning to end. Despite the seriousness of the theme shown in the film, it is impossible not to mention the humor that dilutes all the tragedy and conveys the mood of the characters. “We’re the coolest,” the guys shout as they drive a stolen car through the city at night. They do not care at all about the consequences, only fun and a life without worries - that is what they breathe. Moral values fade into the background, which is perfectly shown by the footage in the film. When watching many moments lead to bewilderment and make you make round eyes with surprise. It is hard to believe that such a diplomatic country as Germany has brought itself to such a state, allowed people to live like this. Although everything is already in the past, for most people, this time left a mark on history, and for the younger generation growing up in this time period, to some extent, changed the worldview. As for the acting, there is no doubt that the roles were played magnificently. Empathy was my true companion throughout the viewing, and in the end, the feeling of attachment to the characters did not want to let me go for a long time. The euphoria has not gone away yet. Perhaps I am so excited about German cinema. I want to mention Marilyn Rose, playing the role of Dani, and especially the scene with the fight, which I believed without any doubt and felt all the pain transmitted through the screen.
For some, this film will sound nostalgic, because there will undoubtedly be viewers who survived this time. The picture will allow the young generation to plunge into the situation of those days, to experience what they, fortunately, will not survive, as well as to feel and understand how dangerous excessive freedom can be, because it can turn the head and cloud the mind. The picture shows how a new society was built, but fates collapsed, how the spirit of collectivism disappears overnight, and a new time comes. The film is worth watching more for those who are fond of German culture and history of this country. It will allow us to better understand the mentality of the Germans, to capture all the subtleties of their nature and national character, to see how the people behave in unstable times for their state. And also to draw a parallel between Russia and Germany in the 90s, as I personally think that there are quite a lot of them. This brings us closer despite our differences.
7 out of 10
