The Edukators (aka Die Fetten Jahre Sind Vorbei) (Subtitled) (DVD)

.../> Jan and Peter are the Edukators. By day they live together in a two-bedroom apartment, living just as any other 20-something would, and dreaming of a better world, and world where things are just fairer, and world run for people, not profit.

Jule is Peter's girlfriend. Hopelessly in debt, she is evicted from her flat, unable to pay the rent, and moves in with Jan and Peter. Jule was looking forward to going away for a break with ...
...of the days she'd have been away for her to clean and tidy her apartment. Wishing Peter to have his treat, she tells him he must go alone, and so peter asks Jan to look out for her, and to help her clean out her old flat, which he does.

Jan comes round to help Jule, and they get chatting about her debt. It turns out that she hit a wealthy man's car whilst uninsured, and owes 100,000 Euros. Jan and Jule hit it off, and decide that instead ... more

Directed by:
Hans Weingartner

Writing credits:
Katharina Held
Hans Weingartner

Cast:
Daniel Brühl - Jan
Julia Jentsch - Jule
Stipe Erceg - Peter
Burghart Klaußner - Hardenberg

Jan and Peter are the Edukators. By day they live together in a two-bedroom apartment, living just as any other 20-something would, and dreaming of a better world, and world where things are just fairer, and world run for people, not profit.

Jule is Peter's girlfriend. Hopelessly in debt, she is evicted from her flat, unable to pay the rent, and moves in with Jan and Peter. Jule was looking forward to going away for a break with Peter to Barcelona, but her old landlord has picked one of the days she'd have been away for her to clean and tidy her apartment. Wishing Peter to have his treat, she tells him he must go alone, and so peter asks Jan to look out for her, and to help her clean out her old flat, which he does.

Jan comes round to help Jule, and they get chatting about her debt. It turns out that she hit a wealthy man's car whilst uninsured, and owes 100,000 Euros. Jan and Jule hit it off, and decide that instead of tidying the apartment, Jule can afford to lose the deposit on her flat, and as a final "fuck you" to her former landlord, they daub red paint on the walls and take photos, before leaving.

Jan tells Jule about his and Peter's political beliefs, and it is whilst they're out driving that he tells her the most shocking thing of all. He and Peter are "The Edukators". They break into villas and mansions at night, when the owners are out. They rearrange all the furniture and leave cryptic messages, "Your days of plenty are numbered" or "You have too much money", signed by "The Edukators". It's creepy to know that someone's been in your house, much worse than having things stolen. It is at this point that Jule realises that they're close to her creditor's villa, and so, after ensuring that the family are away, and checking that the villa is on Jan's hit list (that is, he knows how to disable the alarm since Peter used to work installing them). They break in, rearranging furniture and enjoying the villa's pool and supply of wine, and enjoying themselves so much, they kiss.

The following morning, Jule realises she left her mobile phone in the villa, so after a night out with Peter, they lie and tell him they're off to stay at a friends and go for a walk respectively, and then meet to find the phone. This time though, the owner of the villa, Hardenberg, returns home, catching them in his villa. There is nothing to do but tie him up, and call Peter for help.

It is decided that they'll kidnap Hardenberg, and they take him to a log cabin owned by Jule's uncle in Southern Germany. Here, they get to know Hardenberg, and discover he's not the tyrant they thought, but formerly a revolutionary socialist just like themselves, active in the movements of the past. They actually find him a very pleasant man. Things go awry when he lets slip about the free love present when he was in the commune, and how they'd know about that. Peter flies into a jealous rage with Jan, and the party briefly breaks up.

Eventually, bored of their escapade, the three of them drive Hardenberg back to his Villa, and say goodbye, and he thanks them, promising not to call the police.

An ideologically-based, rather than plot-based film, the reason that this film is so exceptional and captivating is the cinematography and the methods of shooting, often (and indeed, primarily) with a hand-held camera. The direction is simply stunning, and when I saw it at my local student film society (of which I am a committee member) there was a round of applause at the credits. Similar, ideologically, to "The Dreamers", but infinitely more interesting, the characters far more engaging, and the plot not ruined by being over-sexed. Brühl and Jentsch in particular are fabulous, and have a bright career in front of them, already with, respectively, the independent smashes "Goodbye Lenin" and "Der Untergang" behind them.

This film will challenge all you expectations. Think British cinema has never been healthier? Check out German cinema!
 

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