21 reviews
Bend over Beckham
This moves pretty well through the various expected clichés: losing one's group identity while forging a new one, showing the group who kicked you out you're better than them, guys who cheat eventually lose, love conquers all.
Funny, too. All the usual stereotypes are presented, with the over-the-top characters being balanced by the more authentic core characters. Nice symbolic use of gold-toned lighting to highlight original innocence, once lost now returned.
The score is fun and well-paced. The ending is more Indie than expected and thus more satisfying.
Funny, too. All the usual stereotypes are presented, with the over-the-top characters being balanced by the more authentic core characters. Nice symbolic use of gold-toned lighting to highlight original innocence, once lost now returned.
The score is fun and well-paced. The ending is more Indie than expected and thus more satisfying.
Good looking guys, leather and chains, love, revenge, and... soccer!
Ecki is goalkeeper for the soccer-team in his small hometown in Germany (near Dortmund). After losing an important game, his mates accidentally find out that he is gay. They throw him out of the team. Out of anger and hurt he dares them to play against a gay team. Ecki has only four weeks to build this team and train them.
The movie plays with clichés in a hilarious and yet pleasant way. Good looking guys, leather and chains, love, revenge, and soccer. Witty dialogues and good action. Highly recommended.
The movie plays with clichés in a hilarious and yet pleasant way. Good looking guys, leather and chains, love, revenge, and soccer. Witty dialogues and good action. Highly recommended.
- Cybrarian7
- Oct 12, 2004
- Permalink
funny, delightful comedy about a newly-formed gay soccer team that takes on prejudice and intolerance
Yes, it has been done before-- an "against all odds" sports film. But this film tackles the genre in a funny, laugh-out-loud way. An odd assortment of characters-- some eccentric but all pretty much everyday folks-- are well-presented. The dialog is witty, the romance is sweet and the film is well-paced. You really root for these characters-- you like them and care about them. A light and fun two hours with no heavy messages or polemics. Sure, the film is predictable but the humor and the fact that you care for the characters prevents the rolling of eyes and the restlessness that often comes when you know what is ahead of you in a film.
- jgtcleveland
- Mar 17, 2006
- Permalink
Very well made and non-offending comedy
I found the movie very entertaining, sometimes it was pushing the stereotypes, but it was never ever insulting. Actually it was a gay friend that recommended me to watch the movie. As a matter of fact, the movie portrayed gay men as very diverse showing different personalities with different attributes. It is a great comedy, not comparable to ridiculously and sometimes even offending movies like "Traumschiff Enterprise". Maenner wie wir paints a very positive picture of gay men and does hold a very supporting view in a comedian fashion. In fact, every major character shows understanding and respect for gay men by the end of the movie. I have to add that I thought the acting of Eckis parents (Saskia Vester and Dietmar Baer) was just great.
- LikingGoodMovies
- Nov 16, 2004
- Permalink
In Many Ways, This is Yesterday's Lunch - But a Fun and Endearing Replay!
Director Sherry Horman and writer Benedikt Gollhardt have not introduced any new ideas in 'Männer wie wir' ('Guys and Balls') - team sports dependent on camaraderie, outsiders getting the last laugh, coming out stories with sports as a background, homophobia to the max, and stereotypical depictions of gay men - but they have created a movie that has enough charm to get past all of the above. It is that kind of movie that makes you groan 'Oh no, not again', but then ends up making you feel warm and sentimental despite yourself! Ecki (a very charismatic and hunky Maximilian Brückner) has grown up in a rural town, the son of a baker, and a committed soccer fan since childhood. Now as a young man he is sought after by his girlfriend Cordula (Melody Sitta) but is unable to respond to her advances. As the popular goalie on his soccer team he is hailed until quite by accident he is discovered in warm embrace with a teammate: the teammate and the team trash him for being gay, his father (Dietmar Bär) throws him out of the house, and poor Ecki departs for Dortmund to live with his sister, swearing to his team that he will return with a gay soccer team to defeat the homophobic jerks.
Ecki and his sister Susanne (Lisa Potthoff) pair off to find gay team players and find them they do, in the strangest places (this is where the film sags due to the stereotypes the director elected to cast). Ecki creates a solid team, falls in love with his sister's co-worker nurse Sven (David Rott) and despite some minor setbacks, the team boards the bus to return to Ecki's hometown to face off the enemy home team. Yes, it ends as you would imagine, but along the way the writer and director manage to make a few healthy comments about being true to yourself and your convictions.
Despite everything predictable about the film, the actors - Brückner, Roth, Potthoff, Bär, Carlo Ljubek, Saskia Vester et al - bring a homespun credibility to the story. This is one of those films that requires forgiving its shortcomings to just enjoy the ride.
Ecki and his sister Susanne (Lisa Potthoff) pair off to find gay team players and find them they do, in the strangest places (this is where the film sags due to the stereotypes the director elected to cast). Ecki creates a solid team, falls in love with his sister's co-worker nurse Sven (David Rott) and despite some minor setbacks, the team boards the bus to return to Ecki's hometown to face off the enemy home team. Yes, it ends as you would imagine, but along the way the writer and director manage to make a few healthy comments about being true to yourself and your convictions.
Despite everything predictable about the film, the actors - Brückner, Roth, Potthoff, Bär, Carlo Ljubek, Saskia Vester et al - bring a homespun credibility to the story. This is one of those films that requires forgiving its shortcomings to just enjoy the ride.
"Why don't we go see the gay firefighters?"
Heartwarming, funny and great!
I was really looking forward to seeing this film ever since I saw an ad for it on TV. And when I finally went and saw it I was not disappointed at all. On the contrary: this is a great film! It's funny, light-hearted and brilliantly cast. The story focuses on Ecki, a young man who works in a bakery in a very small rural community and plays football in his local team. When his team-members find out that he is gay they throw him out of the team. With the help of his sister he subsequently tries to form an all-gay football-team to challenge his old team in a match. And this journey through tough-guy town Dortmund is really, really funny! The incredibly talented cast (especially leading man Maximilian Brückner) pull every scene off and make it believable. OK, there are clichés in this film but they are also made fun of and not taken seriously at the same time. The movie also features a love story between Ecki and Sven, his cute team-mate and these two characters are totally cliché-free.
This is a very good film and I recommend it to anyone who wants to have a really good laugh, see really good acting and a really touching love story - all in one film!
This is a very good film and I recommend it to anyone who wants to have a really good laugh, see really good acting and a really touching love story - all in one film!
- EnchantedAngel
- Oct 19, 2004
- Permalink
This film was necessary !
Let's face the facts - there is one dominant and popular area in Western society where homosexuality is still an absolute no-no, where it simply doesn't exist (officially of course) : And this is....? Yes, it's football. Excitement and fun for billions of people all around the globe. But although roughly 5% of mankind can be considered as gay or at least bisexual no professional player ever had his public coming-out. (But statistically speaking in every team there must be at least one..which would mean a minimum of 18-20 in the German Bundesliga alone)... This is the sociological background any critic should take into account before criticizing "Männer wie wir" too harsh. Yes, I agree, in some parts this film is a bit stereotypical, but the important and optimistic message counts more than its occasional lack of sophisticated and complex characterization. Maybe this is also one of the reasons why many heterosexuals (even the liberal and educated type) feel uneasy about this film. They simply don't want gays to enter one their last retreats of pure and sweaty straight manhood. And the notion that some of these queers might even turn out to be adequate opponents on the pitch (as it happened in "Männer wie wir") is just ...like finally loosing in a penalty shoot-out after a comfortable lead.
Cliché'd? yes. Good? YESSS!!!!
Sure, this movie follows a formula, actually many formulas, about gay vs. straight flicks, soccer flicks, sports hero flicks, guy gets the guy flicks - but it does them all VERY well and with both love and humour. Although there is every cliché in the book here about masculinity and coming out, there is an equal emphasis on NON-stereotypical gay men. Ercin the Turkish player is as nelly as they come but hey, he's a Turk represented in a German soccer flick, AND his Dad is obviously 100% supportive and proud of him, fluffy hand-gestures and all. Hotte may be a stereotypical leather guy, but he's also a juggernaut on the field who strikes terror in his opponents. Our hero is so gosh-golly "straight-looking" that I had trouble believing in him as a gay guy in the opening sequence, but his dalliances with Sven change all that. I've been out since 1979 and have seen ALL the big- name "gay" movies. Some good, some downright awful. This one felt real, was engaging from the outset and made me laugh, good hearty belly-laughs, from end to end. I loved it. You will too.
Bezaubern and Entzückend
The goalkeeper of a small-town German soccer team is forced out of the closet, and as a result embarks on an odyssey of revenge and self-fulfilment...
Delightful comedy-drama, exploring homophobia, prejudice, intolerance and definitions of masculinity all amidst the heightened world of competitive 'Fußball'. Occasionally simplistic and hackneyed, never-the-less 'Männer wie wir' is packed with delicious performances and set-pieces, with the concluding football match an absolute gem. Standout performances have to be Brückner's charming 'everyman' Ecki, the wonderful blend of bathos and pathos from John, Berkel and Hübner, and especially Zacher's utterly convincing portrayal of the alcoholic ex-player Karl.
The finale will have you cheering.
Delightful comedy-drama, exploring homophobia, prejudice, intolerance and definitions of masculinity all amidst the heightened world of competitive 'Fußball'. Occasionally simplistic and hackneyed, never-the-less 'Männer wie wir' is packed with delicious performances and set-pieces, with the concluding football match an absolute gem. Standout performances have to be Brückner's charming 'everyman' Ecki, the wonderful blend of bathos and pathos from John, Berkel and Hübner, and especially Zacher's utterly convincing portrayal of the alcoholic ex-player Karl.
The finale will have you cheering.
- robertconnor
- Jul 12, 2007
- Permalink
I could maybe take it seriously if it was listed as a fantasy movie
- Horst_In_Translation
- Jan 12, 2017
- Permalink
Delightfully Entertaining
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. It's a well-made and entertaining comedy. It was my favorite film at the festival (out of 10 that I saw).
Yes... as others have noted, a lot of the comedy stems from a group of major characters fitting a checklist of the most common gay stereotypes. But it's all done in a way that's non-offensive, lighthearted, well-written, well-acted, and just funny as heck. I think you have to want to be offended to have a problem with it. And the main character (Ecki) is about as "normal" as can be. (...not to mention adorable and lovable.) Anyway, the film-making was excellent. The pace was perfect, and the plot struck a good balance of levity; it was serious enough that I cared about the characters, but stayed upbeat and fun as well.
Highly recommended.
Yes... as others have noted, a lot of the comedy stems from a group of major characters fitting a checklist of the most common gay stereotypes. But it's all done in a way that's non-offensive, lighthearted, well-written, well-acted, and just funny as heck. I think you have to want to be offended to have a problem with it. And the main character (Ecki) is about as "normal" as can be. (...not to mention adorable and lovable.) Anyway, the film-making was excellent. The pace was perfect, and the plot struck a good balance of levity; it was serious enough that I cared about the characters, but stayed upbeat and fun as well.
Highly recommended.
too stereotypical for me
Guys and Balls... a heartwarming and well acted piece of gay themed cinema
I just recently watched "Guys and Balls" and thought it superb. It far exceeded my expectations. What a pleasant surprise since so many gay themed movies flop on arrival.
It's basically about a young man named Ecki, played brilliantly by (Maximilian Bruckner) who gets busted kissing another guy and is outed to his friends and family. He is then subsequently booted from his local soccer team. Angry, he them challenges them to a soccer match made up by his soon to be all-gay football squad. He leaves home and goes to live with his sister while assembling a rag tag group of gay men who are appalling at playing the game and comprise of every gay cliché on the market. Still, these stereotypes are not offensive, mainly because all the players come across as such nice guys. Ecki, also falls for Sven, an attractive male nurse at the hospital where his sister works. Both these guys are cast perfectly, making for a sweet and believable couple.
If you want to settle back and watch a pleasant, funny, romantic movie with a heartwarming ending, then "Guys and Balls" is the movie for you. I watched it, loved it and now I own it.
It's basically about a young man named Ecki, played brilliantly by (Maximilian Bruckner) who gets busted kissing another guy and is outed to his friends and family. He is then subsequently booted from his local soccer team. Angry, he them challenges them to a soccer match made up by his soon to be all-gay football squad. He leaves home and goes to live with his sister while assembling a rag tag group of gay men who are appalling at playing the game and comprise of every gay cliché on the market. Still, these stereotypes are not offensive, mainly because all the players come across as such nice guys. Ecki, also falls for Sven, an attractive male nurse at the hospital where his sister works. Both these guys are cast perfectly, making for a sweet and believable couple.
If you want to settle back and watch a pleasant, funny, romantic movie with a heartwarming ending, then "Guys and Balls" is the movie for you. I watched it, loved it and now I own it.
Light And Enjoyable, It Made Me Laugh. (review contains a spoiler)
- Michael-70
- Jul 13, 2005
- Permalink
Wasn't impressed...
Beautiful Guys & Balls
- da_lil_azn01
- Oct 8, 2006
- Permalink
Education in Stereotypes?
You thought after "Traumschiff Surprise" that German comedy can't get worse? It can. This comedy is yet another attempt at perpetuating stereotypes of gay men masked as a nice comedy. The initial concept (openly gay men in soccer sports) would have been a great opportunity to erase some stereotypes, but... The real intended message of the movie seems to be in what way gay men are oh-so-different from straight men. Absolutely silly, of course. Even gay sex is treated as being of less value than straight sex. This movie only tries to serve straight audiences wanting to laugh about stereotypical gay men. Well, don't waste your time on German comedy movies!
Charming comedy
I really enjoyed this lighthearted 'feelgood' comedy. OK, it might be a bit old - fashioned and predictable when it comes to portraying gay stereotypes, but it is an affectionate and completely inoffensive film that passed an enjoyable 90 minutes or so for me. The film is populated by a cast of likable characters led by the sweet Maximillian Bruckner as 'Ecki', a young man who plays in goal for a smalltown football team and who is outed as gay by his teammates. The team and some of the townsfolk are particularly cruel to both Ecki and his parents following the 'outing'. (The running gag of the old man coming into the family's bakery shop and telling 'gay' jokes is quite funny however.) The film concentrates on Ecki's determination to put together a gay football team that can take on his tormentors and win. This leads to an enjoyable series of adventures in which his family, particularly his father, have to come to terms with his sexuality and in which he manages to find love along the way. Altogether a nice fairy-tale (excuse the pun!) - everyone even manages to live happily ever- after! See it and enjoy!
Bend it Like Ecki
yet another bunch of tired clichés about gays
When I went to see this movie it was already a forced choice, as my original intent was sold out. what ensuited then was sheer terror, this movie is so bad i could hardly bear it. the story is not worth mention, a gay goalkeeper forms a gay soccer team to play against his old straight team who - on discovering his sexual orientation - gave him a hard time. loaded with unbearably old and overused clichés of gays, the thin plot matches perfectly the inane dialogues... it is absolutely astonishing that actors as dietmar bär or charly hübner waste their talent and time on such nonsense. 1/10