HARD FEELINGS/ HAMMERHARTE JUNGS
Germany, 2023, 102 minutes, Colour.
Tobias Shafer, Cosima Henman, Axel Stine, Doris Golpashin, Yuna Bennett, Tom Beck, Au/Ra, Vivien Konig.
Directed by Granz Henman.
This German film has been labelled “a raunchy comedy”. And, in many ways, it is. And, judging by responses, most have stayed with the raunchy aspects of the comedy. However, there seems to be a more serious undertone to the themes which might be well worth considering, especially for those young audiences who are responding to the raunchiness.
This is the story of Charley, bullied while young, criticised for his “small dick”, and this continuing into his teenage years at school, mocked by everyone at the swimming pool, comparisons made with the popular youngsters at the school. Charley has had a lifelong friend, Paula, also looked down on by the other students. There are scenes in both households, Paula and her widowed mother and her rather smart younger sister; Charley at home with his earnest parents who seem to be falling out of love with each other, on the verge of separating, the mother using a dating service, the father, handyman at the school, lodging there.
But, the main inventiveness of the plot is that Charley’s penis has a voice, Willie, and Paula’s vagina also has a voice,. Part of the comedy is the dialogue between genitals and characters, the genitals solely focused on sexual stimulus and activity, raunchy in their dialogues with their owners. Charley and Paula, on the other hand, are more traditional in their approach to sexuality, having a more mature approach than some of the others in school who vaunt their sexuality, their dating, performance.
The drama is in Charley being led on by the glamorous student at the school, drinking, thinking he has been involved in some sexual activity, spurning Paula. Paula, on the other hand, has teamed up with the jocks star of the school, found his sexuality inadequate and he starts spreading disgusting stories about her.
The point for this film being something of a moral fable is the emphasis on a more holistic approach to sexuality than mere concentration on those voluble genitals. And, the subplot involves Paula relying on her mother and sister, Charley involved in supporting his father, urging his parents to get together again.
As with the society which puts light value on experiences of sexual intercourse, this is offered as the solution to the problems. On the other hand, it does highlight sexuality values, personal values, and something of an ethical moral code, exemplified by Charley and Paula, and criticised in the other characters.
Not essential viewing, of course, but, in these permissive days, it could well serve as a moral talking point, opportunity for teenagers to have some discussion about sexuality and personal issues.
