Head-On
(2004)
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Head-On
(2004)
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| Credited cast: | |||
| Birol Ünel | ... | ||
| Sibel Kekilli | ... | ||
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Catrin Striebeck | ... |
Maren
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| Meltem Cumbul | ... |
Selma (Cousine)
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Stefan Gebelhoff | ... |
Nico
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Francesco Fiannaca | ... |
Mann am Tresen
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Mona Mur | ... |
Stammkundin Zoe Bar
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| Ralph Misske | ... |
Patient 1 (Psychiatrie)
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| Philipp Baltus | ... |
Patient 2 (Psychiatrie)
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Hermann Lause | ... |
Dr. Schiller
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Karin Niwiger | ... |
Kassiererin (Psychiatrie)
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Demir Gökgöl | ... |
Yunus Güner (Vater)
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Cem Akin | ... |
Yilmaz Güner (Bruder)
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Aysel Iscan | ... |
Birsen Güner (Mutter)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Monique Akin | ... |
Kundin im Friseurladen
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In 'Gegen die Wand' Cahit, a 40-something male from Mersin in Turkey has removed everything Turkish from his life. He has become an alcoholic drug addict and at the start of the movie wants to end it all. Sibel a 20-something female from Hamburg wishes to please her Turkish parents yet yearns for freedom. She has had her nose broken by her brother for being seen holding hands with a boy and yet she can not break her mother's heart and run away. She too attempts suicide and she first approaches Cahit there at the Hospital. Sibel asks Cahit to marry her, as she believes this to be the way out of her parent's house. She promises Cahit that their relationship will be like roommates, not like a married couple. The film follows Sibel and Cahit as they get married, become closer and eventually fall in love. Written by Serena P.
I expected a typical immigrant drama from this one, but fortunately, the movie proved out to be a lot more than that. Gegen die Wand is the story of a man who loses faith in everything (love, God, nationality, and ultimately life itself), only to regain it in unusual circumstances. If that sounds cheesy, well, it is anything but.
The movie always feels real, never descending into patheticism, and the 2 lead actors portray attractive, interesting characters that totally transcend immigrant archetypes.
Faith Akin was worthy of the best European movie award he got here, as the film succeeds on all levels: immigrant drama, love story, and meditation on different ethical principles.