Daniel Bruhl stars as a young radical intent on bringing down Capitalism through scare tactics. He and his partner in crime, Peter (the pratically unknown Stipe Erceg) break into expensive houses and leave notes that say "Your days of plenty are numbered" or "You have too much money". Each sound very threatening in the original German , "Die fetten Jahren sind vorbei" and "Sie haben zu viel Geld". The pair's love interest is Jule (Julia Jentsch), and not only does a charming and sensitive love story emerge, but the film refreshes the radicalism that has become so commercialised. "Anarchy stickers, Che Guevara t-shirts... things that could get you in prison 30 years ago are now sold in malls owned by the people we protested against"Jan (Bruhl) is a cautious, introverted, but sweet and clever student who spends his time with circuitry and data. Peter is far more abrasive and loud, and of course, the bastard's got the girl. Jan and Jule bump into each other, and a delicate love grows between them, behind Peter's back. When a break-in to a house goes wrong, and they are forced to kidnap Hardenburg (Burghart Klaußner), a rich businessman, and run off into the country.
The dialogue between these four is what really makes the film. They criticise him with an idealistic naivety, but it transpires that he himself was once a revolutionary, just like them. He establishes an understanding with them, and they each grow to like and admire him. Bruhl and Erceg make an excellent pair of old friends, but Jule comes between them and they fall out. There's not only a charming 3-person romance, excellent played by all 3, which remains tantalisingly unresolved at the end, but a clever and original collision of generations. ★★★★★
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