"Sommer '04" or "Sommer '04 an der Schlei" is a German 90-minute movie from 2006, so this one had its 10th anniversary last year. The director is Stefan Krohmer and the screenplay is by Daniel Nocke and both are prolific small screen filmmakers, so here we have the rare occasion of seeing a big screen film by these two that have worked together on quite a few occasions. The main reason for this film being somewhat known is probably lead actress Martina Gedeck and this movie here is actually from the very same year when she starred in her most known work "Das Leben der Anderen", so great year for her, even if this summer movie did not really contribute too much to that. It is all about the relationships in here. People falling in and out of love and there is also a bit of a Lolita aspect to the film. The latter is also the crucial aspect here in how well you will like this movie. I personally wasn't impressed by Svea Lohde unfortunately. She occasionally acts in a solid manner from the physical performance, but other than that I think she wasn't memorable at all and a better casting decision could have helped the film a lot. Seeliger is also relatively forgettable I think and Davor's character does not get half the screen time and elaboration he deserved. And not just the one he deserved, but also the one Gedeck's character deserved as she is so close to him. As for the crucial scene in the last third of the movie on the boat, well.. it's personal taste how much you like it and how much it makes sense to you. For me, it was all a bit for the sake of it to be honest. And eventually, after Seeliger's character basically ditched Gedeck's already, then we see at the end that they are a couple a long time after and apparently also happy? Oh well this does not fit at all in terms of what we saw earlier. I think Gedeck is a pretty solid actress, but this film here just has too many weaknesses overall for her to make up for it and besides, she is not that memorable either and has given several superior performances in her career. This 1.5-hour movie is not a failure by any means, but you see from start to finish how it reeks of unfulfilled ambition, but it comes so short with every impact it is trying to make. I give it a thumbs-down. Not recommended.

"Summer '04" (2006 release from Germany; 97 min.) opens with two teenagers returning from a bike trip in the countryside. We learn that it is 15 yr. old Nils and his "girlfriend" Livia, all of 12 yrs. old. Livia is staying with Nils and his parents, Andre and Miriam. The next day, when they go out sailing, Nils decides to come home early, and instead Livia is going sailing with Bill, a thirty-something former sports manager in the US who has recently returned to Germany. What exactly is the nature of the relationship between Livia and Bill? or for that matter between Livia and Nils? At this point we are just 10-15 min. into the movie but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.Couple of comments: first, the utter laisser-faire attitude of the family towards a potential friendship or relationship between 30-something Bill and 12 yr. old Livia is outright shocking. Here is Nils, the supposed boyfriend who couldn't care less what Livia does or doesn't do, with or without Bill, showing no concern or jealousy, I mean none. His standard response to any and all gentle questions from his mom or dad is: "None of your business!". Really? Is this a portrayal of real life mores in contemporary Germany, or is this some fantasy in the writer's mind? Second, assuming you can overcome the first hurdle I just described, the movie is actually quite good, in particular as the 'plot' starts to thicken. It kept me guessing as to what direction all of this would be going into. The movie's Big Twist comes just over an hour into it, and one that I truly did not see coming at all. It sets up what I had expected to be a riveting last 30 min. and I still wasn't sure how it would all end. I'm obviously not going to spoil the ending. All I will say is that it came as a huge letdown to me (and hence I cannot rate this film higher than 6/10).I was browsing the foreign film section at my local library the other day in pursuit of hopefully something good to watch. Didn't really know much about the movie and took a flier on it. It worked out okay but not great. About the best thing I can say is that it kept my interest as the movie unfolded. Strictly for foreign movie aficionados.

A thing that I have recently noticed more and more is how well the acting in the newer German cinema is. In "Sommer '04" by director Stefan Krohmer and writer Daniel Nocke it is definitely Martina Gedeck who stands out. Her character Miriam is very self-confident, but still natural and believable. Her decisions often seem volatile, which not only applies for her, but also for the other female main character Livia (played by young talent Svea Lohde). Livia is the center of the story that unveils and when she eventually dies (very surprisingly), I definitely was stunned by the triviality that it happened with. The only thing not believable was the ending. Maybe screenwriter Daniel Nocke felt the need to add a big final twist to his otherwise very good script, but it did more harm than it did good. But this is outweighed by the strong sides of this film. All characters are very realistic, and although I didn't really sympathize with anyone of them, it seemed to me as if I knew every one of them.

The time of adolescence is always a troubling one for parents, and the worry may be just as great for those in loco parentis and dealing with exceptionally intelligent but precocious young teenagers.Miriam and Andre are a well-educated middle class family on holiday at the Baltic coast with their 15 year old son, Niels, and his 12 year old girlfriend, Livia. All four of them are good at handling boats, which plays a big part in the story. Although both children are coping with their hormones and attitudes towards sex to varying degrees, Miriam feels especially protective towards Livia, whose openness can easily be mistaken for flirtatiousness. Livia strikes up a friendship with an older man, Bill, after going sailing with him. He seems responsible and respectable, but Miriam is concerned when Livia announces she is staying over at his house. Her initial doubts seem unfounded, but then she finds herself in an unexpected triangle, competing with the young girl for Bill's affections.From gentle, idyllic beginnings, Summer '04 builds into edge-of-the-seat tension as we are concerned first for Livia, then watching in fascination as Miriam is drawn into an impossible scenario. Bill's attempts to maintain his distance are balanced like a knife edge, and a seemingly minor accident at sea throws everything into confusion. To top it off, a surprisingly beautiful and very touching ending humbles us with the unexpected depth of insight of one of the characters.Summer '04 hits the mark with actors that perform as if there is no camera there, lush countryside that makes you want to put your feet up, gripping action as the two women struggle to handle the boat, and a refreshing absence of background music. Simmering sexual tensions rounded off with heartbreaking tenderness make it a tour de force for all lovers of European cinema.The sudden switches between breakneck action and slow, languorous camera-work could be off-putting to mainstream audiences, but there is plenty of thought provoking stuff in Summer '04 for those who can be bothered.