Goodbye Lenin! (2002) [DVD]

I know what you're thinking, but if you look hard enough there's plenty of decent german films out there. Like this one. And Run Lola Run. And..they're probably the ones you've heard of right? If you're new to german cinema, don't be put off.

Being a german student, you might think I'm rather biased, but this film really does german cinema justice. For once, a film that refers back to an important part of germany's history, but at the same time, isn't afraid to laugh at itself. I'm talking about all the little references made to coca cola, that capitalist pig of a company, and to the extensive waiting lists for cars. This film makes you see how ludicrous and laughable the situation had become in the GDR, but of course, back then no one was laughing.

But its not all meaningless jokes about the claustrophobic nature of the former soviet bloc. After her heart attack, Alex knows any shock could kill his mother. And what bigger shock, than to wake up from a coma and discover that in fact the country is once again united, coca cola reigns supreme and your daughter has quit college to work at Burger King. At first glance the situation certainly does not look rosy.

Apart from the few odd moments I mentioned earlier, Goodbye Lenin! isn't exactly a laugh out loud comedy. The challenges Alex (played by the brilliant Daniel Brühl) faces to protect his mother from the truth are in many ways humourous, but there are some very moving moments as well. Alex is in every way a devoted son, even if it causes minor tension with other family members. Combine this with his humourous escapades, from trying to find the right brand of pickles to allowing his student nurse girlfriend to wrap him almost entirely in plaster cast, and this makes for a character we the audience can truly identify with.

Wolfgang Becker's excellent film has been nominated for a Golden Globe, and has also managed to scoop an Academy Award, six European Film Awards and nine German Film Awards. If the rest of Europe is able to see what a fantastic film this is, I'm pretty sure you will be too.

The late 80s was a very significant time for German people on either side of the Iron Curtain, East Germans controlled by Communism, and the West Germans controlled by democracy. The biggest problem for both was the wall, they all hated it, as they couldn't travel between East and West Berlin without some sort of documentary evidence.

There was no Coca Cola, McDonald's or Burger King in East Germany, it was all controlled by SED - and they didn't really like western products in the Eastern Bloc.

Christiane Kerner (Katrin Saß) was part of that movement - she was quite a believer in the movement, but her son Alex (Daniel Brühl) didn't really want a split Germany. He went on the protest marches - and his mother spotted him. In shock, she had a heart attack, and now laid in a coma.

Alex does everything he can to help her, but during the coma, The Berlin Wall is knocked down, and West Germany is now linked with East, to form Germany as we know it today. Burger King is now there, and Alex himself becomes a satellite fitter. To save mum having another episode - he has to keep her world as East Germany.

This is a really good movie, even though he's lying to his mother, it's all really funny and done only to save her from dying. I thought the TV reports was the best thing about the film, the way they filmed them themselves to fool his mother into believing that the SED was still going strong. Both leads were excellent, and his girlfriend in the movie; Lara (Chulpan Khamatova ) but really all the cast was very good.

One thing I didn't like about this transfer is the subtitles, as the frames are often very light, the colour of the subs didn't make it easy on the eye to read what was being said, so I had to rely on good old Latin and words that sounded English when it wasn't easy to read the screen. I am surprised they didn't change the colour of the subtitles, as it's very easy to do on a PC nowadays.

The picture and sound was very good though, with a 5.1 mix that was great when the helicopters came over with the head floating in the air.

The extras are not good, only the trailer is on here, which is a real shame - a few interviews would have been superb. Really there's little they could have added otherwise.

Worth a look, it's a light-hearted movie that made me laugh and feel sad at the same time.

Well. This is an absolutely great film. I love it.

It's full of emotion, humour and fireworks. really it is full of fireworks and rockets! Wahnsinn!

The deception behind keeping Frau Kerner (Katrin Sass) in the dark about the reunification is astounding and the humour behind everything is really dry which is typical for German humour. There is one part that really gets me upset for Frau Kerner when the statue of Lenin is flown away - i think it's the music as well - an excellent score throughout.

A subtitled film to warn those who are keen to avoid that but there is so much that would be wrong with the film if it were dubbed.

But it goes to show what some people might do for their mothers even it means saying that a country that no longer exists is thriving!

It may help to know what the reunification of Germany is before you watch it just so you understand what's goign on. But ican recommend this to anyone who understands German humour, history and maybe the language. Enjoy