Sommer '04 (2006)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Stefan Krohmer

Writer:

Daniel Nocke (writer)

Release Date:

19 October 2006 (Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

At 40, Miriam radiates serene beauty and tranquility, a confidence and self-assurance as vast as the sea close to her summer home...

Plot Keywords:

Punctuation In Title | Girl Man Relationship | Apostrophe In Title | Digit In Title | Number In Title

Cast

Martina Gedeck	...	Miriam Franz
Robert Seeliger	...	Bill
Svea Lohde	...	Livia
Peter Davor	...	André
Lucas Kotaranin	...	Nils
Nicole Marischka	...	Grietje (as Nicole Mrischka)
Gábor Altorjay	...	Daniel (as Gábor Altorgay)
Michael Benthin	...	Arzt

Also Known As:

Sommer '04 an der Schlei (Germany) (long title)
Summer '04 (Canada: English title) (festival title)
Summer of '04 (USA) (new title)

Runtime:

USA:97 min | Germany:97 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS

Certification:

South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

Company:

Ö-Filmproduktion

Sailing into deep blue water

The time of adolescence is always a troubling one for parents, and the worry may be just as great for those in loco parentis and dealing with exceptionally intelligent but precocious young teenagers.

Miriam and Andre are a well-educated middle class family on holiday at the Baltic coast with their 15 year old son, Niels, and his 12 year old girlfriend, Livia. All four of them are good at handling boats, which plays a big part in the story. Although both children are coping with their hormones and attitudes towards sex to varying degrees, Miriam feels especially protective towards Livia, whose openness can easily be mistaken for flirtatiousness. Livia strikes up a friendship with an older man, Bill, after going sailing with him. He seems responsible and respectable, but Miriam is concerned when Livia announces she is staying over at his house. Her initial doubts seem unfounded, but then she finds herself in an unexpected triangle, competing with the young girl for Bill's affections.

From gentle, idyllic beginnings, Summer '04 builds into edge-of-the-seat tension as we are concerned first for Livia, then watching in fascination as Miriam is drawn into an impossible scenario. Bill's attempts to maintain his distance are balanced like a knife edge, and a seemingly minor accident at sea throws everything into confusion. To top it off, a surprisingly beautiful and very touching ending humbles us with the unexpected depth of insight of one of the characters.

Summer '04 hits the mark with actors that perform as if there is no camera there, lush countryside that makes you want to put your feet up, gripping action as the two women struggle to handle the boat, and a refreshing absence of background music. Simmering sexual tensions rounded off with heartbreaking tenderness make it a tour de force for all lovers of European cinema.

The sudden switches between breakneck action and slow, languorous camera-work could be off-putting to mainstream audiences, but there is plenty of thought provoking stuff in Summer '04 for those who can be bothered.