The Edukators

I was advised by a teacher at school to watch The Edukators/Die Fetten Jahre sind vorbei, directed by Hans Weingartner. At first the film seems a bit silly and you feel that the protagonists can't really achieve anything so there plan is pointless. BUT, interesting ideas develop and it genuinely makes you think.


The film follows three young anti-capitalist friends in Berlin, Peter played by Stipe Erceg, Jule played by Julia Jentsch, and Jan played by Daniel Bruehl. Jule has a massive debt, due to a car crash involving a very rich businessman called Hardenberg, played by Burghart Klausner. Whilst Peter is in Barcelona, Jan shows Jule what the boys do at night; they break into the houses of Berlin's wealthiest, and change things around, leave notes and graffiti saying things such as 'Your days of plenty are over' and 'you have too much money', but they NEVER steal things. The two get the opportunity to break in to Hardenbergs property, but it all goes wrong, and Hardenberg has to be kidnapped and taken to Jule's uncles house in Bavaria (presumably). Here, is where the interesting conversations happen, and the group find out a lot about each other, including the three-way love triangle which has been happening, unknown by Peter. It's essentially 'free love' as Hardenberg says, a way of life for some hippies/anti-capitalists such as themselves. It is what Hardenberg says that is most moving, and forces the group to re-evaluate the situation.

The film is well-written, beautifully shot, and flawlessly performed. Some of the drawbacks are that it gets a little long and preachy at the end, and the love triangle doesn't add anything to the film, in my opinion. Furthermore, the ending once they are back in Berlin at Hardenbergs house,I really didn't like, but you can decide this for yourself. The constant motion (due to the camera work) puts us right into the characters' world and helps foster an instant connection with them. Despite the pretty basic plot, The Edukators delves into that ill-defined human notion of morality, eventually blurring the line between the ethics of social politics and the ethics of personal relationships.

This movie touches you emotionally, gives you food for thought, which you could discuss for days and days (as I did!) and entertains immensely at the same time. My initial thoughts about the film, were completely changed once I watched it through. 

Also, all three actors are insanely good, but it is Daniel Bruehl (who was also incredible in Goodbye Lenin, which I'll review later) and Julia Jentsch who really stand out for me. I think they could well be the best German actors of their generation. 

GO  AND SEE IT !