The Edukators Details

[Highly rated reviewer]

The Edukators

A German comedy (no, really) about three young anti-globalisation activists (Bruhl, Jentsch and Erceg) whose MO is to break into the houses of rich people, not take anything but move everything around, leave, and leave a note along the lines of 'Your days of plenty are numbered'). On one such expedition their target (Klaußner) arrives home and they, having knocked him out and been seen, take him hostage. The four leads are practically the only people in the film and their relationships are complex and often funny. Jule (Jentsch) is an object of affection for both Jan and Peter (Bruhl and Erceg respectively) and the film develops her relationship with Bruhl in a particularly charming seies of scenes which means you can't help rooting for them. But it is their relationship to Hardenberg (Klaußner) that is the film's most interesting, changing slowly from Hardenberg's fear of them (and their fear of what they've got into) to a grudging respect and, hillariously, Hardenberg's almost fatherly regard for them by the end. This is a comedy and laughs come thick and fast from not just the dialogue but visuals and even a few wry and well placed camera moves. The second half of The Edukators is unquestionably better than its relatively slow opening, which takes some time in getting Jan, Jule and Peter into their predicament. But it is the last few scenes that truly make the film. A stunning, funny, montage, set to Jeff Buckley's heartbreaking rendition of Hallelujah is a true standout moment. That whole sequence will have you emotionally torn as it's hard to hear that song and not want to cry but what is on screen will often be making you laugh, it's a wonderful juxtaposition. The final scene of the film steals a key moment of The Silence of the Lambs to brilliant effect (no, nobody is 'having an old friend for dinner') and will have the audience laughing and cheering as the credits roll. Unless you really loathe subtitles (and aren't German) you could do a lot worse than this fun, witty, exciting film for a Friday night in with friends.

A great movie

I almost didn't watch this, but am so glad I did. Very very clever, great story and completely immersed me.

Would recommend it.