I first discovered Big Girls Don't Cry at a very unlikely place: a grocery store. There was a bin of movies that was gone the next time I went there. Reading the back of it, the story sounded very interesting. Since then, I have become very interested in seeing it. I watched it, and all I can say is WOW! This is not a movie made specifically for girls or only for Germans, any guy or American can watch this and be enthralled by it.
I managed to find Big Girls Don't Cry on the net, in German with no subtitles. Luckily, I was able to decipher most of the movie and get the gist of most things that happened. The movie is about Kati and Steffi who have been best friends their whole lives. They share secrets, peak in on boys, smoke cigarettes and do other mature things out of their reach. They mean no harm, they just want to have fun. Not really funny to watch, but it is still nice and relatable. The first little bit reminds me of some of the things my friends and I would do. When Steffi sees her father with another woman, she plots revenge starting with the woman's innocent daughter, Tessa. Kati has parental problems of her own and she is torn between loyalty to her best friend, and knowing that Steffi is spiralling out of control. I like that this movie did not hold anything back. The directors wanted to make a teen movie that can pack a punch, and it succeeds. They don't try to make it suitable for everyone, because that would be totally unrealistic. There's sex, drugs, rape, violence, smoking, the majority of which involve teenagers. Each of these really do happen to scarred youth and is shown in very realistic and familiar ways.
One of the main themes this has is loyalty. After seeing how much of a train wreck Steffi is becoming, Kati wonders how much she really means to her. Steffi's father cheats and she goes overboard, while Kati's parents are always engaged in heated arguments, and she is still holding it all together. That brings me to the next theme, which is the impact that parents have on their children. Steffi's parents don't abuse drugs, but one unfaithful act leads her to become a delinquent. Kati has horrible parents, and she is trying her best not to become what they are. Every teen has been through these stages at one time or another.
Anna Maria Muhe and Karoline Herfurth do fantastic portrayals in this dynamic coming-of-age story. Muhe does look familiar, but I don't know anything else she's been in. This movie may have been back in 2002, but I still hope that both actresses become world famous. Their characters are so real and deep. Some scenes are very intense that can make you cry. The whole movie will leave a lasting impact on you.
3.5/4.
I managed to find Big Girls Don't Cry on the net, in German with no subtitles. Luckily, I was able to decipher most of the movie and get the gist of most things that happened. The movie is about Kati and Steffi who have been best friends their whole lives. They share secrets, peak in on boys, smoke cigarettes and do other mature things out of their reach. They mean no harm, they just want to have fun. Not really funny to watch, but it is still nice and relatable. The first little bit reminds me of some of the things my friends and I would do. When Steffi sees her father with another woman, she plots revenge starting with the woman's innocent daughter, Tessa. Kati has parental problems of her own and she is torn between loyalty to her best friend, and knowing that Steffi is spiralling out of control. I like that this movie did not hold anything back. The directors wanted to make a teen movie that can pack a punch, and it succeeds. They don't try to make it suitable for everyone, because that would be totally unrealistic. There's sex, drugs, rape, violence, smoking, the majority of which involve teenagers. Each of these really do happen to scarred youth and is shown in very realistic and familiar ways.
One of the main themes this has is loyalty. After seeing how much of a train wreck Steffi is becoming, Kati wonders how much she really means to her. Steffi's father cheats and she goes overboard, while Kati's parents are always engaged in heated arguments, and she is still holding it all together. That brings me to the next theme, which is the impact that parents have on their children. Steffi's parents don't abuse drugs, but one unfaithful act leads her to become a delinquent. Kati has horrible parents, and she is trying her best not to become what they are. Every teen has been through these stages at one time or another.
Anna Maria Muhe and Karoline Herfurth do fantastic portrayals in this dynamic coming-of-age story. Muhe does look familiar, but I don't know anything else she's been in. This movie may have been back in 2002, but I still hope that both actresses become world famous. Their characters are so real and deep. Some scenes are very intense that can make you cry. The whole movie will leave a lasting impact on you.
3.5/4.