This 2012 film is a tragi-comedy about a university drop-out who is searching for his way in life.
Tom Schilling plays the main character, Niko. He has several interesting roles in other films, but this was the first time I saw him in a leading role. Currently, his show The Same Sky is available on Netflix. While not necessarily school appropriate itself, it is quite a good show!
Justus von Dohnányi plays Karl. He’s been acting steadily since 1993 and several movies are on my “must see’ list. Among the highlights are: Woman in Gold, Monuments Men, Ludwig II, Jud Süss – Film ohne Gewissen, Buddenbrooks, 1 1/2 Ritter – Auf der Suche nach der hinreißende Herzelinde, Der Untergang, Blueprint, Amen., Das Experiment, and the Robin William’s version of Jakob the Liar, just to name a few.
Ulrich Noethen is another busy actor, since 1994, who is in several well-known German films, such as Harmonists, Downfall, Bibi Blocksberg, das fliegende Klassenzimmer, and the 2016 version of the Diary of Anne Frank. Additionally, he was in Deutschland 83.
Although this is far from a war film, there is a scene one would understand better with a basic understanding of some events that occurred during WWII, and how the people who lived in that time may end up unable to talk about anything else.
There are a few F words throughout the film, including in writing (on a shirt), but as always the German is less offensive than the translated subtitles. There is, however, a scene of sexuality with more obscenities that may be awkward. This could be easily skipped – it happens just after Niko is cleaning up after a fight.