No pun intended - Chantal could be described as German Barbie - "real life" that is. But while she became a phenomenon after the F you Goethe trilogy (I think the international title is different, like Suck it, because ... well the F word is bad) ... she gets her own movie! And the turnout in cinemas proves whoever greenlit this, knew what they were doing. Not saying that you have to like it.
Just a side note about the swear words and youth: there is another F word (german) used, that is quite offensive! And yet this gets a rating 12 and above - which actually means kids under 12 can watch this if they are accompanied by an adult. Germany does not really care much about words - this would surely be at least an R rating in the US. Just saying - and for your consideration.
Now to the fact that this made good money, even though the reviews may suggest otherwise ... well the screening I attended was half full - and while some may want you to believe this is not funny at all - there were quite a few laughs. Comedy is in the eye of the beholder - is this silly? Is this even cringe as they say at times? Many times yes ... does it work though? Also yes - because the target group identifies with it. Or them - the main characters that is.
I would not call myself a big Jella fan, but what she did with that character (Chantal) ... even if you are not a fan of the movies, you can't deny the impact she had to modern German movie history. Cry more silently Chantal - not sure how this is translated ... but one of those things that got transported to society ... she may have sullied the name forever ... but also given it new life in a sense.
Same is true for fairy tales - and the message this has. She is anything but a princess ... and yet she is everything a princess is (nowadays) ... strong, independent ... maybe not intelligent - but still mostly on the morally good side ... and finds herself to be a feminist too - maybe another thing in common with Barbie ... nice outtakes during the end credits by the way.
Just a side note about the swear words and youth: there is another F word (german) used, that is quite offensive! And yet this gets a rating 12 and above - which actually means kids under 12 can watch this if they are accompanied by an adult. Germany does not really care much about words - this would surely be at least an R rating in the US. Just saying - and for your consideration.
Now to the fact that this made good money, even though the reviews may suggest otherwise ... well the screening I attended was half full - and while some may want you to believe this is not funny at all - there were quite a few laughs. Comedy is in the eye of the beholder - is this silly? Is this even cringe as they say at times? Many times yes ... does it work though? Also yes - because the target group identifies with it. Or them - the main characters that is.
I would not call myself a big Jella fan, but what she did with that character (Chantal) ... even if you are not a fan of the movies, you can't deny the impact she had to modern German movie history. Cry more silently Chantal - not sure how this is translated ... but one of those things that got transported to society ... she may have sullied the name forever ... but also given it new life in a sense.
Same is true for fairy tales - and the message this has. She is anything but a princess ... and yet she is everything a princess is (nowadays) ... strong, independent ... maybe not intelligent - but still mostly on the morally good side ... and finds herself to be a feminist too - maybe another thing in common with Barbie ... nice outtakes during the end credits by the way.