Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de)
"Schoßgebete" is a German 90-minute movie from 2014, so two more years and this one will have its 5th anniversary. There are some fairly well-known names attached to this project here, such as director Sönke Wortmann, actor Jürgen Vogel and also supporting actors Köhler and Gwisdek (the young one). The screenplay is by Oliver Berben and the original novel this is based on is of course by Charlotte Roche. Perhaps you have seen her previous movie "Feuchtgebiete", which is actually a prequel to this one here apparently according to IMDb, but the characters are different, so I am not sure this is accurate. Anyway, Carla Juri received some solid awards attention in the one I just mentioned, but I am not a fan of her at all. So maybe I am a bit blinded by Lavinia Wilson's stunning looks when I say that I think she gave the better lead performance. Wilson is probably also known to German film buffs, even if she was certainly more known a decade ago then now I guess.The film is about a young woman with children and she is not together anymore with her original man, so she has to juggle his relationship there, as well as the one between her child and the dad as well as her marriage as well as their sex life as well as the grief over her three siblings dying in a car crash as well as her regular brothel visits with her husband and a lot more. Now you probably know that the film has little to do with reality because it is just too much and over the top. Or do you know any actress/celebrity/singer who has a similar story? I know I don't. Then again, they probably try their best to keep their regular brother visits secret just like the one in this movie. Anne Will may be around. But still. The film is packed with sexual references, but it is not the core of it all like in "Feuchtgebiete" as the story eventually is just about managing life and finding happiness and maybe this is the reason why I believe this movie is slightly superior. This does not mean it is a good film though. IT's just that the bar is not exactly high. Wilson is pretty forgettable overall, Vogel is weak in a way where I have rarely seen him this forgettable. Köhler the same, pretty much wasted and Gwisdek as well who is a much better actor than he is allowed to show us here. And when the film is not about sex for once, like at the very ending, it is about pieces of glass and it sounds extremely pretentious and it is difficult to imagine a weaker scenario during which the closing credits may roll in. I was extremely close to giving this a */***** actually, but eventually I will still be generous. I have not read Roche's works, but it seems it's really difficult to turn them into a quality movie. Or maybe the writers/books just suck. Either way, major thumbs-down for this one here. Not recommended.
kosmasp
I haven't read the books, but this is based on a novel by Charlotte Roche. I did watch the first movie they did of her first book (Feuchtgebiete), this is her second book. The first one was extremely crass/gross/sick, you take your pick. But after the release of Nymphomaniac you wonder if there is a pattern there and maybe there is.This one btw. is not as extreme as the first one. It still has some scenes that will feel uncomfortable (STDs and such) though it's not as graphic as the other movies were that I mentioned above. It won't be everyones cup of tea, but the drama unfolding is pretty nicely told. Jürgen Vogel plays it as straight as possible, but it's the main character/woman who's carrying the load and she did a pretty solid job with that. If you don't mind the sexuality the movie has, you might enjoy it (though do not expect titillating)
