Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Tom Schilling | ... | Benjamin | |
Elyas M'Barek | ... | Max | |
Wotan Wilke Möhring | ... | Stephan | |
Antoine Monot Jr. | ... | Paul | |
Hannah Herzsprung | ... | Marie | |
Stephan Kampwirth | ... | Martin Bohmer | |
Trine Dyrholm | ... | Hanne Lindberg | |
![]() |
Leopold Hornung | ... | Oskar |
![]() |
Katharina Matz | ... | Hilde Engel |
Leonard Carow | ... | MRX | |
Arndt Schwering-Sohnrey | ... | Paradise Pizza Manager | |
![]() |
Matthias Neukirch | ... | Dr. Arnow |
![]() |
Nils Borghardt | ... | Glatze NBD |
![]() |
Alexander Hauff | ... | Karl-Heinz Vogt |
![]() |
Antonia Putiloff | ... | BKA Hackerin |
Benjamin (TOM SCHILLING) is invisible, a nobody. This changes abruptly when he meets charismatic Max (ELYAS M'BAREK). Even though they couldn't seem more different from the outside, they share the same interest: hacking. Together with Max's friends, the impulsive Stephan (WOTAN WILKE MÖHRING) and paranoid Paul (ANTOINE MONOT), they form the subversive Hacker collective CLAY (CLOWNS LAUGHING @ YOU). CLAY provokes with fun campaigns and speaks for a whole generation. For the first time in his life, Benjamin is part of something and even the attractive Marie (HANNAH HERZSPRUNG) begins noticing him. But fun turns into deadly danger when CLAY appears on the BKA's (Bundeskriminalamt, Federal Criminal Police Office) as well as Europol's most wanted list. Hunted by Cybercrime investigator Hanne Lindberg (TRINE DYRHOLM), Benjamin is no longer a nobody, but instead one of the most wanted hackers in the world. Written by Wiedemann & Berg Film
It's not often that you get a genre movie in Germany. And even less times the result is any good. Fortunately they did get it this time. The lead actor has not the strength to pull it off completely (if you have watched a lot of thrillers, you know where this is heading and it makes no sense at all, even with explanations). But overall the acting is more than fine by the whole cast.
Making a thriller out of hacking is not an easy task. But visually the movie did find a way to give us an in to chat rooms (hidden and otherwise), with a very clever trick. It wouldn't be the same just seeing people type things on a keyboard. There are other things that work out nicely too. I was pleasantly surprised, even if I felt that the movie tried to be a bit too clever for its own good at the end. Give us more of that please