Summer Storm

By today's standards, this is a film with an issue that has pretty often addressed already, the development of both hetero- and homosexual relationships. I always thought that the Germans could only do old-school stuff, but here they showed themselves in a new and not so bad light. The whole film was perfectly complemented by a well chosen musical score that features both known and unknown songs. I must also praise the excellent camera work, with great shots of fauna and flora. And then of course there is the story itself. At times I found it a little too naive, but on the other hand it wasn't that far-fetched. (23.04.2010)

Summer Storm belongs to the same category of German films as The Wave, i.e., films primarily intended for teenagers that combine entertainment with a certain message. While in the case of The Wave, it was a warning against political extremism and fascination with authoritarian charismatic figures, here it is a lesson about sexual identity and coming to terms with one's own and others' differences. Similar to The Wave, it is presented in a somewhat sentimental but tasteful way, so that even a teenager can relate to the matter. On the other hand, this leads to some simplification and adaptation of reality to fit the needs of the story. For example, the way the screenwriter and director depict the atmosphere in the rowers' camp - a relaxed atmosphere, like in a summer camp without excessive rivalry and coaches instigating. Or how much attention is focused on a small community of gays at a particular moment. The whole idea of a rowing team based on a homosexual principle, openly competing in public, seems somewhat exaggerated to me. The director simply needed a group of sexually diverse individuals and included them in the story. Some sentences or reactions seemed like they were trying to be overly intellectual, and I would keep some things to myself or react differently, perhaps like the girl who offers herself to her chosen one and he emotionally admits his homosexuality to her. Despite these reservations, it is a reliable three-star film, but I won't go higher considering the points I've mentioned. Overall impression: 60%. (05.10.2011)