Sommersturm (2004)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Marco Kreuzpaintner

Writers:

Thomas Bahmann (screenplay)
Marco Kreuzpaintner (screenplay)

Release Date:

2 September 2004 (Germany)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

life happens without warning

Plot:

Tobi and Achim, the pride of the local crew club, have been the best of friends for years and are convinced...

Plot Keywords:

Gay | Rowing | Storm | Best Friend | Germany

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Robert Stadlober	...	Tobi
Kostja Ullmann	...	Achim
Jürgen Tonkel	...	Hansi
Miriam Morgenstern	...	Sandra
Alicja Bachleda	...	Anke (as Alicja Bachleda-Curus)
Angelika Brennfleck	...	Thea
Josefine Müller	...	Claudia
Joseph M'Barek	...	Ferdinand
Tristano Casanova	...	Georg
Roman Storm	...	Günther
Jeff Fischer	...	Flasche
Johannes Franke	...	Martin
Anton Rattinger	...	Gruber
Gerhard Oberwetter	...	Busfahrer
Tobias van Dieken	...	Naturschützer (as Tobias Vandieken)

Also Known As:

Summer Storm (International: English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, language and drug content.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

Germany

Language:

German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:R | South Korea:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Germany:12 | Singapore:R21 (cut) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 | Norway:11

Filming Locations:

Bevertalsperre, North Rhine - Westphalia, Germany

Company:

Claussen & Wöbke Filmproduktion GmbH

Quotes:

[first lines]
Tobi: She said, I don't mind!
Achim: Those very words. Now chill, I have to keep at 140.

Movie Connections:

References "Sesame Street" (1969)

Soundtrack:

Go West

A rare and touching film

Summer Storm is a remarkably sensitive and entertaining film, a drama about sexual orientation with stellar acting, plenty of comic relief, and the touching moments that make this movie worth a second or third visit. Within minutes, I was captivated by the main characters, reliving my own doubts in those beautiful days between high school and reality.

Those looking for an erotic homosexual expose of yet another ''coming out'' will probably be disappointed. The interaction of the sexes is both subtle and natural, damn normal, as it should be. Few films let you forget your own sexual orientation and draw you into the scene through the sheer power of love and affection. The tears, joys and pain of youth are vividly painted on a backdrop of beautifully photographed scenes that are both authentically modern and nostalgically overpowering. These are the friends you want to meet on your next canoe trip or wished you had met at summer camp 40 years ago.

Summer Storm is perhaps the best German film in decades, a quiet film that steals your heart. American audiences have had to wait a bit longer to finally see it. In Germany, the film was rated PG-12. The US version is rated R. That says something about the progress (or lack of) in dealing with films that address sexuality. US audiences can deal with ''Sex and the City'' and ''Six Feet Under'' but don't dare let our kids see a movie that might help them find their sexual identity. Personally, I can't think of a better film as an introduction to sex education, in grade school. I highly recommend watching the film with your teen-aged son or daughter. They can explain the parts you didn't quite catch.