Emil & the Detectives

Life has not been good for 10-year-old Emil's father since his wife left; he's broke, jobless and without a driving licence. So when young Emil (Retzlaff) goes to Berlin to visit a family friend, he plans on using his savings to buy his dad a forged licence. But his money's stolen on the train by 'rotten pig' Max Grundeis (Vogel), who turns out to be more than just a common adult thief. By chance, Emil bumps into the plucky Pony Hütchen (Sommavilla), head of a seven-strong kids' gang, and together they set about getting his money back, and more besides. This mostly fresh Bavarian spin on Erich Kästner's story is moderately enjoyable and well cast, if at times a mite tedious.