Seriously.. I mean , a story about a guy who keeps a 10 year old boy locked in a basement and sexually assaults him.
I mean yeah, great movie to watch with your girl friend! or even friend.
come on.. can't believe producers even took a risk with this.
Why not?
You do know that cases such as this pop up every year not only in Austria but much of Europe, let alone the rest of the world, right?
I haven't seen this movie but I'm sure that this movie carries a political and social agenda far beyond what you see on the actual screen. The main question of this film is "what kind of society are we living in?" and yet you see no purpose in making this movie?
We need MORE movies like this. Just as Schleinzer says in an interview, we can't learn about these monsters only through tabloids and newspapers. Movies like this one need to be made.
This 10 year-old boy's world has probably already fallen apart. If things like that don't raise questions in your head about what's right and wrong then you don't deserve to ever watch this movie. You are better off going to see The Vow or maybe One for the Money.
This film is real -- it robustly challenges us as human beings. Sadly, there are too few films available like this (or, if they are accessible, they are too often shunned by society/audiences and, consequently, never garner the recognition they deserve). The OP is either too stupid/emotionally immature/too young to watch the movie, or is a closet deviant himself (much like individuals who, before being found guilty of paedophilic crimes or crimes of a sexual nature, have frequently passed remarks in the past such as: "Hang the paedophile!" "Burn the sex offender!", etc).
I found this film to be successfully brave and entertainingly disturbing.
This film is real -- it robustly challenges us as human beings. Sadly, there are too few films available like this (or, if they are accessible, they are too often shunned by society/audiences and, consequently, never garner the recognition they deserve). The OP is either too stupid/emotionally immature/too young to watch the movie, or is a closet deviant himself (much like individuals who, before being found guilty of paedophilic crimes or crimes of a sexual nature, have frequently passed remarks in the past such as: "Hang the paedophile!" "Burn the sex offender!", etc).
I found this film to be successfully brave and entertainingly disturbing.
I take it you've seen the picture. If not then this comment belongs in the moron box. It's a terrific film that really challenges expectations as to how a character should be represented. There's also a fascinating strain of black humour through it.
But maybe you're right. We shouldn't make films about disturbing subjects. No more films about murder, war, rape, assault, betrayal or abuse. Let's just watch The Smurfs over and over again.
Idiot.
-- You're going on after Crispy Ambulance! --
Ahh, the black humor of pedophelia and kidnapping children to sexually abuse them. I forgot about that. You've changed my mind. Anyone who doesn't want to see this is an idiot.
shareAhh, the black humor of pedophelia and kidnapping children to sexually abuse them.
That Smurfs movie was betrayal and abuse. ;)
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Because we rarely get to explore the relationship between a prepuesent (sp?) child and his sexual predator. The media makes them out to be monsters, but what are they really? How can that relationship grow and change?
Just kidding. It's a horrible subject and unless the pedophile is slowly fed through a giant shredder while he is still alive, I see no reason to watch it.
Being a victim of sexual abuse myself, I actually enjoyed it. I thought it was as true of a portrayal as it could be without harming the young costar.
I saw this at Chicago Film Fest last year with a "boyfriend" and he was pretty much disgusted by it and very uncomfortable. His main question was why was it made, what purpose does it serve. I'm interesting in hearing everyone's views on this.
My word is my *beep* bond!
-I Love You Phillip Morris
I would have assumed that being a survivor of sexual abuse this would have been tough to watch, I commend you. But I think therein lies one of the reasons people would want to watch it: the healing only begins after the acknowledgement of the atrocity is made by the media (in this case, movies). We as a society want to watch not to see gross sexual acts upon a minor nor to know what to think about something so horrible, but to know WHEN something is OK to discuss as a whole, which in turn leads to the aforementioned healing. Not only on a personal level, but on a societal one as well. We see it with books/movies about the AIDS epidemic when it started, we've seen it about WW2 and nazi's, we've seen it about 9/11 to a smaller extent (still not quite there yet I don't think), but you get the idea. Again this is just what I believe. We can't come together and stop a problem until it's been acknowledged by all of society, including the media.
But beyond that, and this is more in regards to the OP: because we're film fans, duh! It may be a well made film in general, despite the bleak material, and how would we know unless we watch it?
"You didn't like this movie? Go watch [insert completely opposite movie] instead"
I question people who go and see the likes of Transformers. I'd be a lot happier if they told me they'd gone to see something like Michael instead.
The film shows the realities of society. Things like this have happened, are happening and will continue to happen and it's purpose is to show how grim and bleak it really is - we live in a world where looks can be deceptive, there's nothing strange about Michael in public but in private... - It's quite a deep film in many ways, albeit rather difficult and disturbing.
Can't stand people who hate on a film when they haven't bothered themselves to go and see it.
Yeah, I too question people who don't want to see stories of child rape. I mean think about it. Wanting to go to the movies to have a good time? How shallow.
You know, beheadings, torture, horrible death, they all happen in the world. It's real. But there just isn't enough of it in today's cinema. How else will we ever know how grim and bleak things really are? I couldn't agree more.
I'm not questioning people who don't want to see a film like Michael - it's understandable if they don't - I'm questioning people who speak ill of a film they've never seen before or for people subjecting themselves to the likes of Transformers.
And who said going to the cinema was only about having a good time? We go to be manipulated by the film and we have no idea how it will do that, or if it will do it well, until we're sat in front of the screen watching it.
My point is that although it deals with a taboo subject and is a difficult watch, it's well directed and well acted and it is a GOOD film. That's what matters, is it good or is it crap? A film doesn't have be fun, entertaining or full of explosions to be good.
Exactly. If we had it the OP's way it'd just be cartoon bears hugging each other in movies all the time. Art of any kind is a reflection of society, the good and bad aspects. Like you said, it's about being emotionally manipulated, whether that's from happy or sad goings-on isn't really the point.
I was going to refute a bunch of their points, but they're clearly just some teenager who hasn't seen many movies trolling for a response, so what's the point...
"You didn't like this movie? Go watch [insert completely opposite movie] instead"
It just shows you the wide range of movies that are available. I seen Being Elmo, one of the cutest films ever, on Thursday night and then went to see Michael 4 days later. I thought both were great albeit entirely different films.
You've got to get out and see different things instead of just sticking to your guns. Like when you go out to a Chinese restaurant :P
Do we draw a line? WHat about a movie (well made, good directing and acting) about a guy who has a seven year old child locked up that he is slowly eating. The film takes place over the course of the captivity, until there is nothing left to eat without killing the child, and of course that's done too.
What if we really explored that whole dynamic? Would that be something you'd like to do with $12 on a friday night? Sure it's gruesome, but you gotta step outside your comfort zone, rigth?
I won't deny someone the right to make a film, but there are some I will not go see, and I think there are some we all would not see. We're just idenifying that we place that line in different places than each other.
This film demonstrates the "grooming" practices pedophiles employ to gain the trust of victims. While dark and disturbing, this movie captures the habits and behaviors of child sex offenders pretty well. I doubt it's meant to be educational, but it explores a topic that crosses racial and economic boundaries. One out of four girls and one out of six boys are victims of molestation. Movies like this incite important conversations.
shareGood point, and they use the same techniques regardless of their country.
I watched the movie because by the time I realized that Wolfgang was a child, not a dog, I was hooked, it's very well done and I found myself caring desperately that the child would be okay (even tho it was only a movie), when the pedophile discovered a dead cat in his yard, after learning that a friend's mother had lost her cat. I feared that was a foreshadowing of something that I didn't want to happen.
The actor who played the pedophile was so good I wondered if I could ever watch him being interviewed or in another movie.
The film ended in a satisfactory way, to my way of thinking.
Netflix should be clearer with it's descriptions, but I don't regret watching this movie, it didn't change my mind about pedophiles, however.
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You can watch movies for their entertainment value, but you can also watch a movie for its intriguing theme and purely for how interesting it is to observe.
I believe the last weeks in the life of a pedophile who's having a preteen boy locked up in his basement is extremely interesting to observe. And thanks to the fact its only a movie, nobody got hurt, it's also acceptable to want to see this film.
DUDE!!!!
A word of caution here...you're making a serious accusation and you could find yourself in a court of law because of it. Don't think that because ANONYMOUS is very good at concealing their identities that you cannot be located by a police investigator.
I would advise you to delete your comment after you apologize, but if you choose to continue be thinking about who you want to play you when this case goes to court and someone makes a movie of the week out of it.
DUDE!!!!
A word of caution here...you're making a serious accusation and you could find yourself in a court of law because of it. Don't think that because ANONYMOUS is very good at concealing their identities that you cannot be located by a police investigator.
I would advise you to delete your comment after you apologize, but if you choose to continue be thinking about who you want to play you when this case goes to court and someone makes a movie of the week out of it.
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I take it that you have not seen Schindler's List. After all who would want to watch a film, that (unlike this one which only deals with horrible events happening to one child) deals with the holocaust that happened to six million.
Why would Steven Spielberg make Schindlers List? Did he expect that it would appeal to Nazis?
Why should film makers avoid a subject just because it is dreadful?
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I'm not sure that I can bring myself to see this in spite of the critical acclaim it has drawn BUT I'm glad that films like this are being made by thoughtful directors/producers. I'm also pleased to read that the film challenges preconceptions of what a person, who does something like this to another, will be.
I find the fetishm of action/superhero/comic book violence much more disturbing also.
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some of the people in this thread are complete idiots or too thick-headed to even deserve a response. why the hell do people watch bad news on CNN?
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