Perl oder Pica (2006)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Pol Cruchten

Writers:

François Dupeyron (writer)
Viviane Thill (writer)

Release Date:

12 October 2006 (Luxembourg)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Plot Keywords:

Rock 'n' Roll | Luxembourg | Nazi Sympathizer | Juvenile Bedwetting | Rebellion

Cast

Ben Hoscheit	...	Norbi
André Jung	...	Father
Nicole Max	...	Mother
Anouk Wagener	...	Josette
Thierry van Werveke	...	Mr. Pendelmeyer
Luc Feit	...	Mr. Treines
Myriam Muller	...	Aunt Zëss
Marcello Mazzarella	...	Mr. Pinato
Elena Arvigo	...	Mrs. Pinato
Johannes Silberschneider	...	Mr. Paschulke
Steve Karier	...	Religion Teacher
Loïc Peckels	...	Aloyse
Yan Gillen	...	Fred
Sam Hanbury	...	Guy Treines
Christiane Rausch	...	Sister Bernadette

Also Known As:

Little Secrets (Canada: English title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Luxembourg

Language:

Letzebuergesh

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Filming Locations:

Luxembourg

Company:

Red Lion Sarl

Trivia:

Luxembourg's Official Submission to the Best Foreign Language Film Category of the 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008).

Movie Connections:

References Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)

A few months in the life of an 11 year old boy living in the Luxembourg of the a1960s

All in all, I would say that "Perl oder Pica" is a decent movie. The settings and the costumes are the best things in it, they recapture the image of the European 1960s, which were still quite gloomy and post-war influenced but which had some elements of modernity slowly creeping in. The story is OK as well, although I was expecting something more dramatic. I was waiting for a life-altering event to take place in Norbi's life but there is not much happening there, it is just a selection of episodes picturing boyhood experiences. The movie could also be defined as a series of vignettes-like illustrations of an European country that still had trouble coping with the memories of WWII and entering in the age of modernity, seen through the eyes of a pre-adolescent boy. The acting was alright, there were some exaggerations here and there but they might have been intentional. Finally, I would say that it is a good movie which could have been better if it had tackled more critical issues and concentrated more on the context rather than the boy's life, which in the end was just as any other kid's life in the '60s and to some extent even nowadays (I am thinking of authoritative parents and teachers, school bullying, learning the 'facts of life'...). I have to mention though, that the movie is set in my hometown of Esch/Alzette and it was quite thrilling to see sights I know very well projected on the silver screen!