Customer Reviews

Big Girls Don't Cry

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In most movies about teens - at least those made in America - we usually don't have to spend a great deal of time trying to figure out who are the "good" people and who are the "bad." The filmmakers are usually kind enough to do that for us. This is obviously not the case in Europe, however, for in the German film "Big Girls Don't Cry," the adolescents we meet are anything but morally and ethically clear-cut.

The two best friends, Steffi and Kati, seem like fairly typical middle class teens - somewhat mischievous, obsessed with boys, and faintly rebellious against the authority figures of the adult world. They also drink, party and experiment with drugs - nothing too radical for teens anywhere in the world today. However, one night Steffi inadvertently discovers that her father is having an affair. At this point, all hell breaks loose, as Steffi decides to take her anger and revenge out on the innocent daughter of her father's mistress, an aspiring singer named Tessa. Steffi sends Tessa to a potentially dangerous local pornographer, leading her to believe that he is actually a record producer searching for new talent. This single action leads to a series of cascading events that winds up, in some way or other, adversely affecting most of the people in Steffi`s life.

Steffi and Kati are both fully realized and complex characters who refuse to be pigeonholed at any given point in the movie. Steffi begins her crusade of vengeance convinced that she is acting strictly out of righteous anger, especially since, in her mind at least, her actions are as much a way of protecting her mother's honor as her own. And if innocent victims have to be sacrificed along the way, well, so be it. What Steffi doesn't realize, until it's too late, is that we can't always control how the human dramas we set in motion will ultimately act themselves out. Kati, who is far more rebellious and far more promiscuous than Steffi, finds herself torn between her loyalty as a friend and doing what she knows is right. It is Kati, the less self-assured one, who, ultimately, becomes the moral beacon that Steffi will be forced to follow if she hopes to survive in the world.

Anna Maria Muhe as Kati and Karoline Herfurth as Steffi give brilliant, well-rounded performances, as does the rest of the talented cast. The acting, writing and directing are so good and true, in fact, that the movie is able to override the occasional implausibility or touch of melodrama that wanders into the storyline.

I just wish American movies about teenagers were this thought-provoking, interesting and impressive.

Reasons you should watch this film:
(1) Engaging & lively from start to finish
(2) Fantastic soundtrack with incredibly good yet little known techno & pop numbers (sung in English)
(3) Very true to life about the difficulties of dealing with teen sexuality, and growing up in an age of divorce
(4) Very beautiful German girls all around the film, from the leads to the bit part roles ;)
(5) A beautiful essay on the trials, tribulations but sheer beauty of True friendship.

This movie is a wonderful movie. Many young adults are tired of seeing movies about teenage life that is sugar coated and always ends happy. This movie is not like that at all. It is about two best friends. One who wants to be treated as an adult and just wants to be herself but since she doesn't have parents who don't understand that kids will be kids (like many teenagers these days) she has to hide everything from them. This movie also tackles the very big issue of divorce and what it can do to a teenager. The other friend who once had a perfect life and liked it. So when her perfect life comes crashing down on her when her parents get a divorce she thinks that since that part of her life isn't perfect anymore she has to put an end to everything else that she thought was perfect in her life. Any teenager or youg adult should definatly watch this movie cause after it you will say "whoa that is my life"

The honesty of this film shines through the rest of the good story. The unanswered silences from the teen-age characters is so right on the money. The theme song about the Teen Battlefield is, unfortunately, true. I love the line--"everyone out there are perverts". For a teen girl these days, that is so true. The convoluted story makes sense, hangs together and is real. The beauty of the cast is great. The child-like innocence that the blonde looks like is at sharp odds with her developemnt, as is true with anyone at that age. The image of her and her sister praying is oh-so-perfect. A good film and well worth a watch.

I love German cinema and this is the best I've seen yet.
Two teenage girls named Kati & Steffi have been best friends since they were toddlers. Steffi apparently has a perfect life that Kati could only dream of.
One night, Steffi catches her dad having an affair with another woman and her whole life falls into a downward spiral. This movie touches real life situations about how teens and children alike endure their parents divorce. Throughout a divorce a child's life is tainted. Soon they lose interest in friends, their grades decline, etc. I would know for I too endured a divorce at the age of eleven.
However, this story is not entirely centralized on divorce but about friendship. Their (Kati & Steffi's) strong bond is put to the test against a whirlwind of problems.
This film is nothing short of superb acting and a moving storyline. Check out this powerhouse of a movie today!

A German film (Grosse Madchen Weinen Nicht) made in 2002, with English subtitles, Big Girls Don't Cry is one of the best films ever made concerned with the topic of growing up through one's teens. The strapline 'A provocative new film about what we go through to find out who we are' sums it all up. The story line is entirely believable and acting superb, and you'll probably find yourself watching the movie several times. Highly recommended.

This film almost made me forget it was subtitled, it flowed so well, and the cinematography was outstanding.

Big Girls Don't Cry is a beautiful coming of age film out of Germany. Two adolescent girls struggle with the truths of growing up and realizing that ones parents can be even more flawed than their teenagers. Not for the faint of heart; but a touching film for all of us who have survived growing up.

It is very hard to pigeonhole this movie. In it there is lots of smoking, use of drugs, teen sex, and nudity, including fully shown bodies. At the same time it is an entertaining and even suspenseful move, and there are so many good issues to discuss with teens that it excels in that area for traditional values parents.

Kati and her family are shown praying three times, and from the pictures in the home one would conclude that she is Catholic. One issue for families to discuss with their teens is Steffi's anger at her father's infidelity, and especially her vengeance toward the woman's family. Kati begins to question her friendship with Steffi when she is willing to take her anger out on the woman's innocent daughter, Tessa. Parents might wish to discuss if that is at all fair. Another interesting quality to discuss is the fact that things don't always go as planned; in this case, what Steffi thought would be just a mean prank turned into a life and death situation. Parents might also wish to discuss Steffi's attempted suicide and how she might have been able to better handle the feelings that made her think it was an option. A few other issues include using someone's boyfriend, especially sexually, in anger against that person. Dating older guys is another issue parents can discuss and talk about how the girls were put into situations beyond their maturity.

There is a lot in this movie that traditional values families would object to, but there are so many issues to discuss with their kids I think the movie is well worth showing to mid to older teens if parents are willing to discuss the movie with them.

This movie is outstanding! I was not expecting such an interesting, well acted, well directed and totally riveting story. It's about 2 friends, Kati and Steffi, whose lives spiral out of control after they discover that Steffi's father is having an affair. Steffi's scheme to avenge her mother and herself have devastating results. This movie is definitely a "must see"! You will not be disappointed.

This movie comes off as a German take on every W.B. teen show,yet still mananges to be quite enjoyable and well directed. Most of the cheesier scenes are due to silly Top 40 Euro-pop music and the "dorky-yet-dreamy" schtick of the girls' respective love interests. As for the main characters (Sofi and Kati),the actresses turn in two very impressive performances despite limited experience and pull off a few genuinely touching scenes. Nice one.