User reviews

You may try to dislike this dramedy. Unless you're really determined you probably won't make it. While some people may be turned off by something or other, most will have to admit that this is actually quite a nice effort from first-time-on-his-own-director and with-some-assistance-producer/writer/editor/star Schweiger. But the worst thing I can say about the movie is that the reduced color scheme didn't appeal to me all that much. Not because it was reduced, but because it made everything look as if the sun was continually setting.

Mostly it is a terribly nice little story with Wokalek's timid performance wonderfully contrasting Schweiger's character's arrogance that turns into love during the course of the movie. The character development actually works and seems pretty believable... Add some very good supporting performances from Michael Mendl, Imogen Kogge, and Steffen Wink and you get a very nice, sweetly romantic and incredibly funny picture. I wish Schweiger had managed to pull off the same trick again with "Keinohrhasen", which was nowhere near as good.

Watch it with the person you love.

Til's movie is definitely sweet, entertaining and down-right funny. It is as German as I've seem a movie, and it's humour is much more subtle and slowly delivered than most of what Holiwood has to offer. The amber colour of the cinematography gives it both a timelessness and a romantic touch. We see Germany as it is, and a most unlikely love story taking place before our eyes.

A movie about how absurd can a moment in life be, how sometimes we all need to have a bit of craziness and foolishness in order to make it through the madness of normal life.

Not a classic, but a good enjoyable evening.

Having seen "Barfuß" today with a friend of mine, I have to say that in many ways it is better than I expected it to be.

Til Schweiger gives a remarkably good performance and obviously his ability in directing has improved since his last major effort "Der Eisbär". Johanna Wokalek is THE reason to see the film, though, and fortunately Schweiger knows this pulls himself back and gives her the ability to shine. Her performance of Leila is sweet and touching and she manages to provide the movie with a light touch as well as a necessary seriousness.

From the get-go it is clear that this movie is not supposed to be a real drama but rather a tender and poetic fairy-tale. It was important to stage it that way, because if the film had focused too much of the realistic aspect (Leila's handicap and Nick's downfall from his family background) it would easily have failed. This way, it walks a very fine line between comedy and drama quite well.

However, I have some major quibbles with the finished product. First, I think the movie cannot really make up its mind, which genre it wants to belong to, usually I like genre-bastards but this movie pretends to be a road movie for so long, that once it gets done with the road movie one wonders when the movie will finally be over.

Also, there is one moment in the story, when the movie steps over the above mentioned fine line between comedy and drama too much. I won't mention details but when the protagonists finally reach the wedding of Nick's brother, which is supposedly the end of their trip together, they both humiliate themselves at the party very much. I admit that I get uncomfortable easily when characters I like humiliate themselves, but to me this part was pretty hard to take, as I just wished for Leila and Nick to get out of there as quickly as possible, knowing they would not be able to leave just like that. (on the plus side, I guess it shows, that Scheiger is capable of making us feel for the characters, though).

Schweiger has mentioned often, that this movie has been really dear to his heart from the beginning and watching the film one can see this clearly. I believe he also wanted this to be a film that he made with a lot of friends and people he admired. Thus many German movie and TV stars such as Jürgen Vogel, Michael Gwisdek, Armin Rohde, Markus Maria Profitlich, et al. appear in cameos. While I usually enjoy a little game of "spot the celebrity", in this particular rather sweet and touching story it seemed out of place and became quite annoying to me after a while to see all kinds of stars (what was Axel Stein doing there, by the way?) having one funny moment to share.

Oh, and one last criticism: After "Die fetten Jahre sind vorbei" ("The Edukators") this is the second German movie in a short while to use Leonard Cohen's "Halleluyah" in its soundtrack. While I really love the song, to me in movie history it will always be connected with "Shrek". So PLEASE you German filmmakers everywhere: come up with something new or original if you want to illustrate a bittersweet moment. It really tears the viewer out of the context and seems like a cheap rip-off.

These points aside, "Barfuß" is a very fine movie, beautiful to look at, moving and with wonderful actors in it.

What happens if a loser, who can't keep a job, doesn't remember the name of the girl he last slept with and has some trouble with his family meets a 25-year-old who had been kept inside by her mother for 19 years and tries to kill herself? Nick, the loser, takes Leila on a trip to his parents and accidentally he falls in love. Well, I won't tell more, and I won't spoil this because you really can't tell whether it's going to be a happy ending or not. Of course this movie made me cry but it's great that in the next scenes you can laugh again...laughing in tears, one of the greatest feelings. Til Schweiger did a great job directing it (the movie being dedicated to his kids) and playing Nick. I think it's the greatest German movie within year, and maybe the best without Nazis and WWII.

Last weekend my friends forced me to watch this movie,but I didn't want to,because I think Til Schweiger is not one of the greatest actors of Germany and I definitely couldn't imagine him as a director or writer! But after about 10 Minutes I got lost in the story, the great acting and the great love! This movie gives proof that love is the greatest gift you can ever get and is the greatest aim you can ever achieve!Yes, love can move mountains! If you think this last sentence is total rubbish,than you should watch this very movie and you'd be proved the exact opposite! Another reason to watch this movie is the great cast!Til Schweiger is surprisingly great and plays his role of the black sheep of the family with a lot of charm and capability! Johanna Wokalek plays the role of Leila with soo much charm and naiveté that you just can't believe it!She has one of the hardest job ever known to an actor,but she does it with an easiness and so natural that you start to think this is what she was born for!This is just her role!!!

Well to put things in a nutshell:Great movie for people who love,who want love and for those who hate love movies!!!

I thought this film would be one of those tried and true romantic comedy genre sorts. And the major underlying theme in the film was indeed romance and comedy but it didn't feel rehashed or trite.

Certainly the story isn't very deep but 95% of the films out there aren't deep, we watch them to escape into a story. Barfuss weaves a sweet story that has laugh out loud bits mixed in with some really touching moments.

I would most compare this film with Rainman, definitely not as good as Rainman but the story is similar.

Anyway, if you're looking for a date film, or just in the mood for a good laugh give this German gem a go. Regards, Nikki

I didn't have so much fun watching a love comedy for a long time (maybe after "When Harry met Sally") as this film has it all: very interesting plot, excellent and funny dialogs and scenes, top-notch acting and... this "something", this thing that makes it a film you want to watch several times and you're never bored with.

Til Schweiger is at his best (OK, I am a Til Schweiger fan, but in this one he's just awesome), Johanna Wokalek is sooo charming that it's just a pleasure to watch her.

I'm normally not writing just positives about a movie... but this one has simply bought me - I've enjoyed it so much that I can't find anything that distracted me from one of the best movie experiences ever.

If you live outside of Germany (like I do), either on your visit to this country get yourself a ticket in a movie theater (like I did), or just wait for it on DVD. This one's worth it.

I watched this movie yesterday with a friend, I have to confess that I would have never made it through the whole thing, if it wasn't for my friend. This film is sooo cliché and so predictable, I could even speak some dialogues in advance, its the same for the jokes,they are so lame...I couldn't connect to the characters and feel sad or touched....all together this movie just got on my nerves...even if it got a bit better in the end..

There really are some good German movies...but this one is definitely not one of them...so take your dog for a walk or your girlfriend out for dinner...everything is better than watching this movie

This movie is simply the best combination of drama/comedy/romance I have seen in the past year. I popped into it (thank God at the very beginning!) while going through TV channels one late evening before going to bed... Well, two hours after that I was still glued to the screen because the movie caught me - first, the face of Til Schweiger, then the plot, the conversations... I was crying and laughing and crying again and couldn't wait for the movie to finish to know whether it will be a happy or not-so-happy or totally unhappy end, but at the same time wanted it to continue for as long as possible because I enjoyed it so much.

This is the best German film I have ever seen. The film is very easy to watch. It's not a torture like some others. The woman in the leading role is lovely and has such a charming smile. I would recommend this film to all who seek love for those who have already found it and for those who see no meaning in it. Because this film shows that even if you are love's biggest enemy Love will still find you and strike you and then you will be powerless to fight Her. It is an unusual love story which looks more like an adventure. This film will teach you how to buy a ticket in the bus, how to 'get cash' and how to do shopping. Even if you know already see the film and find out why do people say Faith know its job!

as the German cant make good movies,I have to say that this film may give you a shock.From the beginning till the end I was really connected and wondering what was going to happen.The scenes are good connected to each other and of course the playact is perfect.Another world that a woman lives and a man who can adapt himself to her and the love they have made me really thing of what we are looking.People search for people who has perfect job,perfect body,perfect outfit etc but don't we look for feelings anymore.Thats the film you have to watch and criticize yourselves.

have a nice watch and watch it with your girlfriends ;)

This tries too hard to be a quirky romantic comedy, but in the end leaves you with just a slightly dirty, creepy feeling about the main character. The movie is rife with illogical leaps, inconsistent characters and a premise that simply makes no sense. This is, unfortunately, simply a Til Schweiger (popular German heartthrob) delivery medium -- the story was written so that he wouldn't have to step outside of the same role he always plays: a smirky, semi-jerk who, in the end, proves he really does have a heart if everyone will just give him a (2nd) chance to show it.

If you really liked Kein Ohr Hasen (a better film, watch it first if you can), then you might like this, but otherwise stay away.

Nick is a loser and his single profession is to be a macho. His motto: every day a new girl an a new job. The first voluntarily, the second not...

Leila is sick. Her mother block up her daughter an Leila have never seen the world outside home. Leila's mother died and she was not able to live her own live, naive like a child and this results in a psychosis.

One day Nick's job is to clean the room in that mental institution where Leila lives in and in the rest room he see Leila which want to commit suicide. He saved her live - the first time he does something wise in his own live. Leila found in nick her own hero and attached to him. Nick is a man, but not man enough to dispose of her. From now own, Leila is like a shadow in his live and for him - troubles...

"Barfuß" is a wonderful love story with very serious moments an with good placed and considerate gags. It's the greenness of Leila which is responsible for all that quaint moment an Nick have all hands to do to save from all resulting situations. Leila become free - and Nick have to assume responsibility for Leila...

All the comments here about this movie said everything about it. Original movie, very good screenplay, it shows what people needs: open souls, open minds. Excellent movie, obviously with some gaps but excellent!!

Some scenes at the wedding party where jut acts placed one beside the other without strong connection, and characters behavior not quite appropriate, although can be a logical reason for that - in certain condition under events and stress pressure all the people can have strange reaction.

I must say there are more German movie that i enjoyed, so.... Germany keep on going with good movies!!!

The euro movies are usually bad i was surprised this one was so grate i like the story the music its just incredible and everyone should see it!!!! its a lovely movie :)The idea of a girl who is mentally sick and falls in love with a guy is grate i like it it was very original and shot well.The comedy is very unique and fits right in the movie really showing that mentally ill girl in a very nice sunny kind of way that really goes right in your heart I'm gonna recommend the movie to others as well its a German Jewel and its something everyone should watch!!!!!!! The acting was grate i really felt that love between them and that maked me happy and the ending is nice :)

After reading reviews I am a bit confused. Did we watch the same movie? Johanna Wokalek is the reason to watch this movie? Are you serious? An absolutely dreadful (even revolting) performance! Romantic comedy? Are you kidding? A grown up man of 42 years old and a seriously mentally disturbed 19 years old (Johanna Wokalek was actually 30 during filming) end up being romantically involved? Only in someone's sick mind. The number of absolutely pretentious, stupid and unrealistic scenes in this movie is unbelievable.. May be it is a German thing, and I don't see what they see, but I can recognize a good performance even in a bad movie. Rarely did I see good German movies, there are some, but certainly not this piece of rubbish.

Till Schweiger is a unique actor, he can play both in lightweight comedies and very deep, serious dramas. Here we can see him as the man named Nick Keller and he is in a very specific situation. A mentally sick sweet lady named Leila, played by the brilliant Johanna Wokalek, is deeply in love with him. She is very weird, she always walks barefoot, hence the name of the film, and once Nick helps her when she is trying to commit suicide. Then they both feel the mental asylum and he finally takes her on a trip to his rich parents with whom he hardly ever talks or meets. A series of hilarious situations follow, poor lady learns how to buy food (Just watch the scene where she throws an egg to a shop basket, thinking that t may be thrown in like any other goods), or when they finally arrive at Nick's parents place and they see her barefoot and with very dirty feet! The film is light, sweet, relaxing and really entertaining. I love this work, and the whole film leaves you with a bright impression and in high spirits.