Sun and Concrete

Sonne und Beton is a movie based on the book with the same name by German comedian Felix Lobrecht. Despite the author's upcoming in the same part of Berlin where the story takes place, Berlin-Gropiusstadt, the story is a fictional one. We are following a group of four friends in their young teens, Lukas, Gino, Julius and Sanchez, watching them with their daily struggles in one of the roughest parts of Berlin.

This film is best described with one word: raw. As most of the cast is comprised of every day people and barely any recognized actors took part in the production, the film as a whole and especially the actor's performances feel very real and authentic. As a lot of German dialects are spoken, I suspect that this movie is not very easy to follow for most non-native speakers if you do not use subtitles. Even I as a native speaker had some trouble understanding a couple of sentences.

Overall, this film is quite brutal, honest but also thought-provoking through the portrayal of all the family problems in a poor part of German's capital. The struggle between trying to get out of your bad childhood, maybe even pursuing higher education and the reality that may be limiting you is portrayed really well. It also hits on the topics of immigration, domestic abuse and drug use while still portraying some light-hearted humor in parts.

All in all, definitely one of the better films the German cinema has produced over the last couple of years and worth a watch!

"Just because we live here doesn't mean we want to become like this."

I went into - Sonne und Beton - with fairly high expectations after hearing and reading a lot of strong reactions and praise beforehand. In the end, I would describe it as a solid, grounded and authentic film, but not as powerful or impactful as its reputation suggested.

The young cast delivers natural and convincing performances, giving the story the level of realism it needs. The characters' behavior, dialogue, emotional reactions and everyday struggles feel genuine and believable, without coming across as forced or overly dramatized. The portrayal of their environment, the lack of opportunities, and the weight they carry at home feels realistic and unpolished, which works very well.

However, the film didn't fully connect with me on an emotional level throughout. There are stretches where the narrative momentum slows down, and I was missing a stronger dramatic peak or memorable turning point that could have elevated the story beyond its realism. The plot itself is fine, but it never reaches a moment that truly sticks or stands out among similar coming-of-age or social-drama films.

Overall - Sonne und Beton - is an honest, well-acted and respectable film that benefits from its young cast and its grounded tone, but for me it does not fully live up to the strength and intensity suggested by its praise.

I lived in Berlin at the time the story is set and know that district, and while there is some truth to the story (which has gotten a lot worse), I gotta say it's far fetched and overblown. Berlin is not Paris and Neukölln is not Nanterre - that area is 25 minutes by subway to city center. A far cry from growing up in da hood classics like "Fresh" (1994), this is a series of bro stereotypes: meek German teenager constantly pressured by dysfunctional relatives, immature peers and bloodthirsty Muslims. I'm from the Balkans and even I think that's a tad simplistic. The director comes from a privileged background and has an annoying preachy tendency. The film is to be used as learning material on toxic masculinity in high schools, that gives you an idea what to expect. That being said, it's well made and the acting is very good for a German film. And the pressing motive has meanwhile become very real: German youngsters (and men) feel emasculated and worthless among migrant alpha males.

No pun intended - there are only a handful interviews on the disc I got ... I was unable to watch this in cinemas. But the first few people (actors) that spoke ... I wondered if they even understood what the movie was supposed to be about? Which would make it even richer and I reckon better(?) ... as in how they played it. Because the script may be as tight as it can be ... if you do not have the right actors to play the roles ... well you'll have some issues making it.

That all said, the last actor to be interviewed he got it. This is about circumstances ... this is about not being able to escape your surroundings ... this is about family, this is about a broken society and system ... with neighborhoods that will raise children unable to escape the day to day violence.

Even more so when they do not let kids go to school, just because they forgot their ID. That is rough - usually kids don't even want to go. But as good as the intents may be from our main character (kid) ... he lets himself being dragged down ... the cycle of violence is there ... and it is big! There are quite a few stories and even those who may seem evil, have a family, have their own cross to bear (or whatever the equivalent would be in other religions).

The dialog sounds real, the story feels real ... and it may make you sad ... thinking that this or something similar is how certain parts of Berlin (or any big city probably) "work" ... well they don't, that is what I am saying.

Story and acting pull you into the screen. I hope, the circumstances of the teenagers in the Plattenbauten are not that brutal as shown in this movie. Poverty of the families prevents the kids to get access to attention from girls or better educated grown-ups. And so the kids do not get a compass for strategic decisions towards a better life.

The most important treasure in such a toxic social environment is close friendship to get a chance to survive the teenage years. And this friendship between 4 teenagers is the core of the story.

My best movie of 2023 so far. A pity it is too dirty for an Oscar nomination.