Horst in Translation ([email protected])
"Das Ende der Geduld" is a German movie from 2014, so it is still relatively fresh. It was a small screen release here in Germany, which you also see through the awards recognition it received, but in other countries it actually may have been shown on a big screen as well. It is most known works director Christian Wagner and writer Stefan Dähnert. The fact that this 90-minute film turned out pretty nicely is also evidence of how long this duo has worked in the industry and of how experienced they are. Apart from that, the high level also has to do with Martina Gedeck's talent and she earns my respect for what she did in here. With stuff like "Die Wand" out, there is no denying that she is among Germany's best actresses right now and this very politically incorrect character in here was handled brilliantly by her I believe. The character's name is Corinna Kleist, but the film is obviously based on the book by Kirsten Heisig about her own life that regardless of how it ended ended way too early.This is the story of a juvenile court judge and about the way she has too deal with young delinquents, especially those with non-German background. They know they cannot be held liable for what they do until they've reached a certain age and keep trolling the law thanks to that. And this is not all. There is also an insight into the powerlessness of the parents that even transforms into hatred towards the legal system (and its representatives) like in that spitting scene. And the ending is of course also very depressing (as is the beginning obviously) with the girl who has been raped and the way the criminals once again manage to get out, this time through the means of intimidation. It is truly a sad state of affairs and this film depicts it exactly as it is. There is no desperate optimism. Not in reality and not in this movie. I cannot say a lot about the book as I have not read it, but the film certainly makes me curious about it. And then there is of course the fateful way the film ends in terms of the character's life and how all her attempts and fighting are eventually pointless once again. She tried so hard to help not only society and the (future) victims, but also the offenders as they were in urgent need of a correction facility. The film gets better and better the longer it goes and I also think it was a good decision to focus on one family with a foreign background with all the crime, disrespect and intolerance they bring to the table. There are uplifting moments here and there with the youngest member I guess who proves not to be utter scum like his brother, but like I said it still always feels authentic.This film is also a powerful statement in terms of the heated debate here in Germany about refugees and immigrants. Integration is a crucial component to ensure a way of life that makes both sides happy and maybe one side needs more help than they think they do. The one quote about the German language is also very powerful and spot-on when Gedeck's character talks to the mother. And the reaction says it all. There is also a great deal of honor-related content in this film, a subject that other cultures see completely different than we do. Eventually, the message here is that even with Heisig/Kleist dead, we need to keep her thought process alive as it is extremely accurate and she saw things the way they actually were. With this reference to the title of my review, I am finishing here and I highly recommend seeing this movie. "The End of Patience" (also pretty good powerful title) is one of the best of 2014, not just in terms of German films, but in terms of all films.
