★ 7 / 10
A generally surprisingly frank look at cultural differences in contemporary Germany
mwillyk-00336
Lots of negative ratings of this film, but no one wants to say what it is they don't like about it. Maybe because it is the frankness in addressing social…
Lots of negative ratings of this film, but no one wants to say what it is they don't like about it. Maybe because it is the frankness in addressing social, religious and cultural differences in a setting that is a female-only setting, in this case a public outdoor pool for females only, which admittedly seems like an invention necessary to support the narrative. This involves the "invasion" of Burka-wearing Muslim women who offend the "sensibilities" of a couple of older German women and embarrass the more "modern" Muslim women trying to "assimilate." The lifeguard, who is generally busier listening to her music, becomes frustrated refereeing the various disputes between the parties and quits. Without a life guard the pool is forced to close, so one of the German women convinces a younger male friend to be the new lifeguard, which as intended causes the Burka-wearing women to leave the pool for religious reasons; while other women seem to want the man's attentions, the the next day a "feminist" boycott occurs against the presence of a man, and from there the film takes the predictable easy way out, and rather than "mocking" the "PC culture" as another reviewer states, in the final scene everyone is one big happy family, which I found to be the only real "eye-roll" thing about this generally amusing film which attempts to incorporate Americanized sensibility to expand its audience, including the repeated use of snippets of the Mamas and the Papas' "Dream a Little Dream of Me" throughout the film.
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★ 7 / 10
Freibad (free bath literally) mocks PC culture
FlorianLaur
I don't like most German movies that came out in the last 20+ years. They're unfunny, boring and too woke. But I saw the trailer for this one and it actually…
I don't like most German movies that came out in the last 20+ years. They're unfunny, boring and too woke.
But I saw the trailer for this one and it actually seemed fun and entertaining, so I was surprised to see the low rating.
Freibad or "The pool" is a clever movie that mocks a lot of hypocrisies in modern German (or Western) society, especially some of women.
What I really liked is how the movie is very fem-centric. Except for a few police men in the opening, there are only two male characters. One of them is gay (although he might actually be bi), the other is a life guard. They seem to represent the male side in the gender war that the movie seems to satirize.
Freibad is the German word for, I guess, community pools? But Frei literally means free (bad is bath) and I think freedom or rather the freedom to be who we are or to do what we want is a big topic of the film.
This Freibad is unique because only women are allowed to attend. The only exception are men under the age of 6 and said gay character. The reasoning: "If you feel female, you are", which is a nice nod at the whole polygender absurdity.
The other male character is a life guard who is fascinated with "aquatic creatures". He seems to serve the story in two ways:
One is to show the hypocrisy/opportunism of many women (you'll see a strong change of tune in almost every woman at the Freibad and how they abandon all their "values" for some eye candy), the other in my opinion is to represent the male viewer/men in general.
The character voices how he "doesn't want to be used by any of the groups". This, again, seems like a clever way to make sure the women in the movie are not given any cheap excuses. Thick or thin, lazy or hard-working, every woman here has a light shun upon her and they are all exposed for who and what they are. And - surprise - they aren't "better" or anything, they are just human.
The lifeguard for instance can't seem to be bothered to actually do her job. She also uses manipulation to push her own agenda and easily folds when she actually has to be accountable and responsible. And she then can't be replaced because apparently, jobs with low pay, but lots of responsibility aren't exactly what women want. In this way, the movie shines a light at some of the hypocrisy of feminism, yet this criticism comes from a woman/women.
The manager(?) on the other hand doesn't seem to care much either way. If she isn't ripping off a group of (perceived) tourists, she just seems to exercise. She could be seen as the kind of man-hating misandrist no-one would have expected to eventually change.
Then there's the aging former singer (played beautifully by a brave Andrea Sawatzki who seems comfortable showing her age and breasts) with approaching deafness and seemingly feminist (although actually just self serving) agenda and her best friend, a judgemental high society lady who now lives off her husband (we never see him, other than in a photo or find out how he has so much money). They both have their own issues, be it with loneliness, childlessness or just getting older in general.
Finally, there's the half German, half Turkish Muslima, caught between two cultures who seems to have everything figured out, but later hates to realize that she's not that different from some of the women she previously felt superior to.
Freibad ultimately seems to mock the many white lies or half truths women often tell men or society, but here, they all become "free" (frei) and although this leads to chaos and violence at first, it ultimately becomes the catalyst for the happiness and improvement of everyone.
Eventually, it's the two male characters who help push the women in the right direction which I see as Doris Dörrie's call for less trench wars and more harmony between men and women. I think that's what the movie is trying to tell us and it does that in a clever way, with lots of metaphors, symbolism and the storyline.
I don't think this movie deserves the low rating. I give it a 7/10 which is strong for me (70-80% of movies I watch are 6 or less) and it's the only German movie in 2 decades I actually would recommend to anyone. Let's hope we get a few more films like this in the future, maybe German film making isn't dead yet. Kudos:)!
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