Weird mix of "Christiane F." and the "schulmadchen-report" films
14 February 2011
The generally light-hearted German "schulmadchen-report" films always had some occasional darker and more sordid scenes in them, so perhaps it's not too surprising that the series co-creator, writer/director Walter Boos, decided to make this film which is half latter-day "schulmadchen-report", but also half an expose of the wayward teen drug addicts and prostitutes hanging around Berlins "Zoo" train station. This latter element was no doubt inspired by the uber-depressing auto-biographical novel and subsequent "serious" German film "Christiane F.". But like the other famous "Christiane" knock-off, the Italian-German "Hanna D., the Girl from Vondel Park", this movie is less serious--and a lot more fun--than its inspiration.

A young girl (Katja Beinert) has a junkie boyfriend who prostitutes himself to chickenhawks down at the bus station. After he apparently accidentally kills a john, the heroine considers dabbling in prostitution herself to help him out. She hooks up with an older friend who is a stripper and amateur prostitute. Meanwhile, another thread of the story follows a male classmate of the heroine, who is love with her, and another girl who is in love with him. And mixed with the shooting-up and the trick-turning scenes, there is the usual, much more innocent teen hijinks like a virgin picking up a sexy punk girl at a club or a couple of mischievous "schulmadchen" trying to seduce their math/gym teacher by feigning a shower-room injury, and, in turn, being taught a lesson by a female teacher (Ingeborg Steinbach, a veteran of the earlier "report" films).

Although it certainly delves into some sordid areas, this film actually ends up being more fun and light-hearted than even some of Boos straight-up comedies. But it does contain several radical shifts in tone that might give a casual viewer whiplash. It's best to not to even ponder exactly how old Katja Bienert was when she did this role, but regardless she is relegated to some fairly innocuous topless scenes here with the other more typically elderly-looking "teen" actresses doing the more graphic ones. But generally this is not one of Boos more graphic films sexually. And even with it's sordid subject matter, it's pretty hard to take too seriously. It's unlikely to get any kind of legitimate release anytime soon, but it's harmless enough.
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