System Crasher is a tale about a young girl that suffered a severe trauma when she was a baby and that event left her with sequels for life. Bennie is 10 years old and has two issues that nobody can fix, no matter how hard they try:
- Bennie needs to have everything done her way... or else she throws a fit;
- Only her own mother can touch her in the face... if anyone else touches Bennie's face, even as an accident, she will go berserk and lose total control over her own actions.
This is not a simple film to watch, even though it has its charming and funny moments. Since the focus of the movie is on the little girl's condition, the viewer will need some patience to listen to her screams... and believe me, this girl can really scream her lungs off. 🤯
If you can't stand hearing a child scream or cry, you should avoid watching this movie, as she will drive you mad.
However, if that's something you can handle - if you are a mother yourself or a child's educator, you are more than used to it - then you'll probably enjoy it a lot.
Bennie's case keeps being rejected from foster families and other institutes and she keeps returning to a kid's shelter that is supposed to be a temporary situation. Even her own mother is afraid of her... 🙄
There's a glimpse of hope for the little girl, as she gets assigned to a very patient young man - Micha - who has the job of escorting her to school... but he goes beyond his duty and makes everything possible in order to help her deal with her issues.
System Crasher is listed in IMDB as being a Drama but I consider it to be a Comedy, as well. I really enjoyed it and had a few laughs along the way. 🤭
Systemsprenger (2019) aka System Crasher, by Nora Fingscheidt: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8535968
This is a German movie with 18 Awards, both in Germany and outside, so you will definitely need subtitles for it. It's also a bit longer than the usual, lasting for a whole 2h. The time seemed to fly by as I watched it, though.
You know how Hollywood as the tendency to cast older actors to play as kids? Nora Fingscheidt didn't take that shortcut and casted a 10 year old actress to play as a 10 year old kid. That's a ballsy move... and in this case it paid off. 😎
Helena Zengel was 10 year old at the time of the movie and she is perfect in Bennie's part, despite her very young age and experience. Truly outstanding performance from this little girl... on a very difficult role! 👏👏👏
Albrecht Schuch was cast to play her school escort - almost like a guardian - and he was brilliant in his role, too. He is not an one dimensional character and you have a glimpse of his inner conflicts, as well.
Filmed between the city and the country side, the film is visually gorgeous, with great landscapes.
The story is good and believable, a bit sad overall... but with a few charming touches. You really care for the girl, even though she makes the life of others a living hell.
I rate it with an 8 out of 10.
PS: I messed up and submitted the post with the wrong title, initially. It's fixed already, so ignore the fact that the Title doesn't match the Link. Everything's ok, though.
