Mirko Lang Movies
- 2009
Theodor Fontane's seminal, tragic 1894 novel Effi Briest received numerous screen adaptations up through the early 21st century, including (most prominently) a 1974 feature from Rainer Werner Fassbinder that emerged as one of the hallmarks of the New German Cinema. The 2009 version emerged at the hands of director Hermine Huntgeburth, and stars Julia Jentsch as Effi von Briest, a Prussian adolescent swept up in the throes of high society during the late 19th century. At the outset of the tale, Effi's mother, Luise (Juliane Koehler) sets her up with a romantic suitor decades older than she, Baron von Instetten (Sebastian Koch), with whom Luise herself has a history of romantic involvement. In truth, Effi passionately loves her cousin Dagobert (Mirko Lang), and has promised to dance with him, but she bows to social conventions by dancing instead with the Baron, and before long the nobleman gamely asks for her hand in marriage, which she obliges - again, solely out of respect for societal norms. They move to a port village together and Effi falls into a miserably unhappy lifestyle - until she experiences physical satisfaction via an affair with a handsome militaryman, Major Crampass (Misel Maticevic). Alas, their limited relationship ultimately leaves Effi with even greater feelings of emptiness. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- Starring:
- Julia Jentsch, Sebastian Koch, (more)
A battle for gay rights is fought on a small-time football field in this comedy drama from Germany. Ecki (Maximilian Brückner) is a talented soccer goalie who plays with a semi-pro team in a small German town, but he finds himself on the outs with his teammates when he fails to block a kick that costs the team the league championship. Ecki's relationship with the team goes from bad to worse when they discover he's gay, and they give him his walking papers. Furious, Ecki challenges his former team to a special match in which they'll face off against an all-gay team he'll assemble for the occasion. The homophobic team agrees to the match, but Ecki soon discovers finding ten capable gay footballers is no easy task, and making them into a competitive team is even harder. Making matters a bit easier for Ecki is his sister Susanne (Lisa Maria Potthoff), who introduces him to one of her co-workers, Sven (David Rott), a good-looking male nurse who can play soccer...and happens to find Ecki attractive. Männer Wie Wir (aka Guys and Balls) was written for the screen by Benedikt Gollhardt; it was his first theatrical film after establishing himself in television. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Maximilian Brückner, Lisa Maria Potthoff, (more)
German filmmaker and former professional footballer (read: soccer player) Sönke Wortmann directs the family sports drama Das Wunder von Bern (The Miracle of Bern). The title is in reference to the unexpected German victory over the Hungarians at the 1954 World Cup in Bern, Switzerland. In the working-class Ruhr region of West Germany, the Lubanski family eagerly awaits husband and father Richard (Peter Lohmeyer) to be released from the Soviet POW camp. During his absence, mother Christa (Johanna Gastdorf) and daughter Ingrid (Birthe Wolter) have started up their own business, while son Matthias (Louis Klamroth) has developed an interest in soccer. He idolizes local player Helmut Rahn, but his father doesn't approve of it. Meanwhile, sports journalist Paul Ackermann (Lucas Gregorowicz) heads to Switzerland to cover the World Cup events. The finale at the climactic soccer game was re-created with professional players from the German Football Liga along with a 3-D stadium and CGI crowd. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi
- Starring:
- Louis Klamroth, Peter Lohmeyer, (more)
- 2001
A pair of teenage rebels become lovers before being forced to confront adult responsibilities in this German drama. Joe (Jana Pallaske) is a 15-year-old girl who has grown tired of rows with her mother (Sabine Berg), whose depressive mood swings are fueled by drugs and alcohol. Joe decides to run away from home, and while out on the street with nowhere to go on a rainy night, she runs into Engel (Robert Stadlober), a 17-year-old boy who is a self-styled anarchist with dreams of setting up a collective community in the mountains. Engel takes Joe under his wing and she quickly falls for him, diving headfirst into his lifestyle of partying all night and getting by on his wits. However, Engel's former girlfriend, Asi (Nadja Bobyleva), still seems interested in reclaiming his affections, and Joe's jealousy leads to a breakup; to spite Engel, Joe begins sleeping with Alex (Mirko Lang), but when she learns that Engel has landed in jail, she makes up with him after he's released. Not long after Engel is back on the streets, Joe discovers she's pregnant, and while she's not certain if Engel or Alex is the father, Engel is eager to do the right thing and help support the baby. Unfortunately, his resolve to live the straight life proves short-lived, and Engel soon ends up back behind bars. When he's released, Engel discovers that Joe has set up housekeeping with Alex and her new baby, and Engel finds she's no longer interested in sharing his dream of setting up an anarchist compound. Engel & Joe was based on a true story recounted in a magazine piece by journalist Kai Hermann, whose writings were the basis of another memorable film about German teens living outside society, Christiane F. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Robert Stadlober, Jana Pallaske, (more)
