Crazy (2000)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Hans-Christian Schmid

Writers:

Michael Gutmann (writer)
Benjamin Lebert (novel)

Release Date:

8 June 2000 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Benjamin is a 16 year old half-side spastic with lousy grades in math, who switches to a boarding school to reach grammar school...

Plot Keywords:

Coming Of Age | Boarding School | Topless | Teenage Sex | Stripper

Awards:

5 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Robert Stadlober	...	Benjamin Lebert
Tom Schilling	...	Janosch Schwarze
Oona-Devi Liebich	...	Malen
Julia Hummer	...	Marie
Can Taylanlar	...	Troy
Christoph Ortmann	...	Kugli
Joseph Bolz	...	Dünner Felix
Willy Rachow	...	Florian
Dagmar Manzel	...	Juliane Lebert, Benjamins Mutter
Burghart Klaußner	...	Klaus Lebert, Benjamins Vater
Mira Bartuschek	...	Paula Lebert, Benjamins Schwester
Jörg Gudzuhn	...	Herr Falkenstein
Katharina Müller-Elmau	...	Frau Westphalen
Irene Kugler	...	Frau Bachmann
Germain Wagner	...	Herr Richter

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Germany:12 (bw) | Sweden:11

Filming Locations:

Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Company:

Claussen & Wöbke Filmproduktion GmbH

Trivia:

Sibel Gerhardt, stepsister of Jan Lehmann, auditioned for the role of Marie and was one of the favorites. She was rejected only because she was too young to play some of the love scenes in the movie.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Delphinsommer (2004) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Grindstone

Coming of age movie

This coming-of-age movie is an adaptation of the autobiographical bestseller by Benjamin Lebert which caused a sensation on the German bookmarket in 1999 because the author was only 17 years old when he wrote it.

It tells the story of a "half-side spastic" boy who keeps changing schools in order to pass the math exams at last. His latest school is a boarding-school in Southern Bavaria (filmed at the same one that the real Benjamin attended), where he finds friends for the first time. Each of these misfits has problems of his own but they all share the confusion of puberty. This period of life is shown so authentically that everyone in the audience will be able to identify with the characters (or remember his/her own youth).

The actors are excellent (especially Tom Schilling and Julia Hummer) and very well guided by Hans-Christian Schmid, who seems to have a knack of discovering young talents. The music is great as well and excellently enhances the often melancholy mood of the film. If you liked "Fucking Amal" you'll love "Crazy". I hope it will be a success.