Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei (2004)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Hans Weingartner

Writers:

Katharina Held (writer)
Hans Weingartner (writer)

Release Date:

25 November 2004 (Austria)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Every Heart is a revolutionary cell

Plot:

Three activists cobble together a kidnapping plot after they encounter a businessman in his home.

Plot Keywords:

Businessman | Villa | Debt | Best Friend | Kidnapping

Awards:

8 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Daniel Brühl	...	Jan
Julia Jentsch	...	Jule
Stipe Erceg	...	Peter
Burghart Klaußner	...	Hardenberg
Peer Martiny	...	Villenbesitzer
Petra Zieser	...	Villenbesitzerin
Laura Schmidt	...	Tochter
Sebastian Butz	...	Sohn
Oliver Bröcker	...	Aggressiver Globalisierungsgegner
Knut Berger	...	Globalisierungsgegner
Hanns Zischler	...	Vermieter
Claudio Caiolo	...	Paolo
Bernhard Bettermann	...	Jules Chef
Sylvia Haider	...	Neureiche Frau 1
Claudia Jakobshagen	...	Neureiche Frau 2

Also Known As:

The Edukators (Australia) (Europe: English title) (festival title) (UK) (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, a scene of sexuality, and some drug use.

Runtime:

France:127 min | Argentina:127 min

Country:

Germany | Austria

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Finland:K-15 | Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | Italy:T | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Hungary:14 | Ireland:15A | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Czech Republic:12 | USA:R | Japan:PG-12 | Norway:11

Filming Locations:

Achenkirch, Tirol, Austria

Company:

Y3 Film

Trivia:

The tagline in the English-language releases of the film, "Your days of plenty are numbered", is a direct translation of the film's original German title.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Jan shuts the sliding door after searching his van for Jule's cellular phone, the cameraman is reflected in the window.

Quotes:

Jan: Fear is a powerful drug when you learn to use it.

Movie Connections:

References The Matrix (1999)

Soundtrack:

68'er Funk

The revolution starts.... now!

I'm sure there will be plenty of people that will accuse "The edukators" of being such a cheap anti-capitalism manifest, a "cool" product designed for rich boys who feel like making a revolution. Whatever, nowadays we need idealism more than ever, we need to believe in lost causes, we have to appeal to the dignity of the individual and to spit in the riches' faces. "The Edukators" is one way of doing all those things from the cinema screen by telling the story of three rebel young guys that won't stay and look without doing a thing while the big corporations destroy this world and turn us into working-hard zombies. They have an idea: to assault mansions, mess everything up, to make trouble just to scare the owners... not to steal, not to break things. It is all about disconcerting. Obviously their "game" will soon get out of hand, they'll get involved in a kidnapping, and they will bump into something that's more powerful than revolution or ideals: love. Two boys, one girl... that means TROUBLES.

As I said, we need more movies like this one that are so well made, and also tries to open people's eyes. (Unfortunatelly I'm sure that those who should get their eyes opened will never watch "The Edukators".

PS: It is worth to watch "The Edukators" even if it's just for the last minutes of the film, with Jeff Buckley singing Leonard Cohen's "Hallellujah" (that also proves the director's exquisite taste).

*My rate: 8/10