Horst in Translation ([email protected])
"Vier Minuten" is probably the most known work from German writer and director Chris Kraus. At the German Film Awards, it won Best Picture (over Academy award winner "Die Fälscher), gave the late Monica Bleibtreu (Moritz' mother) a Best Actress win and scored nominations for Kraus' writing and directing as well as Herzsprung's acting. She lost to Bleibtreu, but won in the supporting category for another movie. I thought Herzsprung played very well here, so I am a bit surprised and disappointed about the fact that she played mostly cheesy parts in weak romance movies in recent years. Time for something more challenging again.There were a few issues I had with this movie, like that Bleibtreu's character does not want to help initially, but after Herzsprung's character violently assaults a police officer she suddenly wants? Also I felt that Lesbian reference came out of nowhere a bit only to make the movie maybe more interesting. Also the whole Nazi past and alcoholism references were maybe a bit too much. It seems as if they tried to include so many baity aspects and then did not entirely elaborate on these. It's certainly not a film as important as it sees itself. The female prison inmates struggling with each other was solid, one of the better parts of the film. Tabatabai does a good job with her minor character.Near the end of the movie, all the smaller characters are pretty much out of the picture and it's all about the two protagonists which I liked, even if the late Sven Pippig plays an interesting character who is actually a nice person, but gets drawn a bit towards the dark side due to the back lash he keeps experiencing in his job and even on national television. The film ends with the four minutes described int he title which are the big piano performance from Herzsprung's character before she gets arrested on stage.As a whole, I felt this was a decent movie, but nowhere near as good as all the awards it won and was nominated for would make you think. It's a bit predictable (prison girl becomes music superstar despite all the obstacles) and the final piano scene felt like an extract from a weak American Idol episode to me where everybody is silent after the performance and then breaks into loud applause. The whole piano performance did not feel as emotional and free-breaking to me as I wished it could have been to be the true highlight of the movie as the makers intended it to. Nonetheless, it's slightly under two hours of solid entertainment and I recommend it, especially if you are interested in German cinema. On a random final side-note, I felt this movie looked a lot older than from 2006, maybe 90s or even 80s, but that helped the prison atmosphere maybe.
Rozinda
There are two spoilers in this review. If you don't want hints, don't read this.I was hooked from start to finish, greatly moved. The young, badly abused and herself abusive girl with genius in her hands, and the old woman unwillingly discovering this aggressive young girl is a true prodigy and then doing everything she can to get that girl a chance. The conflict between the two over what kind of music is best. The hints that arise from this conflict about the past of the older woman. The irony of how that concert performance may finally be achieved. And somewhere in the movie, I won't say where, the most astonishing piece of music is played - so very exciting. I've twice seen particularly wonderful pieces of music performed within a movie, that is pieces I can remember that stand alone in their excellence whilst written as I understand it just for the movie. One is within Ladies of Lavender for the mysterious young violinist who seems to come from nowhere, the other for the young misfit in Vier Minuten.This movie is unrelentingly grim much of the time, but there is great beauty too and wonderful heartwarming moments. The moral seems to be that even people who appear to be vicious, abusive, murderous, completely lost causes, may contain the most amazing gifts if only someone else has the ability and then the willingness to draw them out. Would this girl ever escape from the emotional prison of her past and the physical prison of her present? I don't know but it would be nice to think she could.
trgusa
Vier Minuten left me admiring a young actress, respecting our cultural achievements, and pondering freedom and what part music and literature plays in dividing us from the animal kingdom. Yes, I think this movie is a statement of cultural development in relationship to physical, mental, and emotional stress, anger, hatred, cruelty, and violence.That is the Conflict theory of social progress.It reminds me of all the rebellious youth who had something shocking, abrasive, antisocial, and yet astonishing to say in a new format. Hail, hail, rock and roll, Hip-Hop, Punk, Goth, New Wave, Rap, Swing, Jive, Big Band, and even Classical. We have come a long way since the days of Turlough O'Carolan or Steven Foster.The plot is not as simple as you might think. Two women, both gifted, both abused and injured as youths, both driven. A father seeking redemption at the end of his life... a vast array of opponents meaning to deter hope and subdue expression. Movies have been built on oppression and hardship for a long time. It makes for a great story (like Purple Rain, for example).Beauty and the beast... continuance, salvation, rebirth, dignity... you could ponder the factors of this movie for some time. The music itself is meant only to be representative, not sterling, and you must remember the settings. I found the opening hard rock song of the piano being transported to the prison absolutely fantastic, and the finale innovative, and yet reminiscent of the "Acid Freak Concerts" of the late 60s, oddly enough. Listen to The Rolling Stones - "Their Satanic Majesties Request", 1967. Maybe they even used the same piano and the strings in the same way. However, I won't tell you how this one ends....Nevertheless, make no mistake: Hannah Herzsprung's performance throughout the movie is absolutely stunning, for lack of a better word. You will not forget it.I had a great deal of trouble tracking down a copy of this movie, since DVD copies are hard to find. In the end, I was really glad I took the time, and now, I am tracking down the CD soundtrack as well... yes, I think it is well worth seeing the movie, and owning the music too.If it only reminds us how to curtsey, and rebel at the same time....
Raj Doctor
This movie was suggested to me by my colleague. It is a German movie made by a former journalist and illustrator Chris Kraus.The story is about a young girl Jenny von Loeben (Hannah Herzsprung) who is a genius piano player but convicted of killing his abusive father and hardened to emotional attachments. Her only contact to life is music. Traude Kruger (Monica Bleibtreu) takes up the job of teaching the unruly Jenny by strict methods. The story is about how both of them find a bond with each other through small trivia of conflicts, fights and lots of emotional scenes. There is a flashback of Truade's mysterious past that associates her emotional bond with Jenny. (I would not reveal much of that to keep the suspense) There is a usual prison villain who stops Jenny from achieving her dream, but Jenny is motivated by Traude to perform on stage for four minutes (the title of the movie) a brilliant piece of solo music with African folk-music touch.Debutant Hannah has performed very well as psychotic young convict and Monica fits perfectly in the strict and severe teacher's role. There are too many dramatic scenes that I personally found a bit clichéd in the narration and emotions too.The music is fantastic by Annette Focks. The last four minutes musical piece though brilliant is not extremely memorable as I had expected.The Writer and Director Chris Kraus has done a commendable job in framing the script that has right notes of emotions, cinematography and music.The movie has already won 15 awards and I think would win a few more.A good movie.(Stars 6.5 out of 10)
