Film

What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases


The Unpolished (Die Unerzogenen) (2006)

Director: Pia Marais

Average user rating
No reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

When her father (Birol Ünel – arguably the gruffest presence in cinema today) is released from prison, young Stevie becomes a detainee within the confines of her own family who, unluckily for her, have selected a rural squat overrun with transients, gypsies and drifters as their smack-strewn stomping ground. As a disjointed memory scrapbook of growing up in hippy hell, the film works well enough, with first-time director Marais intent on leaving questions unanswered and keeping context to an absolute minimum. It’s also severely lacking in focus, with three diffuse, unlovable and, in the end, indecipherable central characters who offer as little connection to each other as they do to a potential audience. The title – translated from Geman as ‘unruly children’ – offers a neat double entendre, as Marais is obviously sticking it to the unchecked boisterousness of both the young and the old characters in the film, although the English title probably offers a better appraisal of the work as a whole.

Author: David Jenkins

Time Out London


What do you think?
Post your review now

clear rating
Min 1 star. Zero stars will be treated as unrated.

*mandatory fields





Top Stories

Ridley Scott interview

Ridley Scott interview

Director Ridley Scott tells Cath Clarke why he's making a science fiction comeback

Cannes Film Festival 2012: half-time report

Cannes Film Festival 2012: half-time report

Dave Calhoun reports on the hits, misses and a shocking new masterpiece from Michael Haneke

Wes Anderson interview

Wes Anderson interview

Cath Clarke talks to the director of Cannes's opening film

Open-air movies in London

Open-air movies in London

Cath Clarke rounds up this summer's crop of outdoor film screenings

The 100 best French films

The 100 best French films

In honour of Cannes, we reveal the best French films of all time

Ken Loach interview

Ken Loach interview

Ken Loach talks to us about his Cannes Film Festival entry 'The Angels' Share'