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      Four Minutes

      Released Apr 12, 2008 1h 52m Drama Music List
      77% Tomatometer 26 Reviews 86% Audience Score 2,500+ Ratings An elderly woman teaches piano to a young convict in a women's prison to transform her rage. Read More Read Less
      Four Minutes

      What to Know

      Critics Consensus

      This riveting German drama set in a women's prison has the strong foundation of a solid script and psychologically resonant performances across the board.

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      Critics Reviews

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      Peter Bradshaw Guardian Underneath the harshness and the severity there is a thick, spongey layer of pure Hollywood schmaltz, and the movie runs on predictable lines. Rated: 2/5 Oct 18, 2008 Full Review Helen O'Hara Empire Magazine The acting is excellent. Rated: 3/5 Apr 28, 2008 Full Review Gary Goldstein Los Angeles Times So relentlessly oppressive it suffocates its potentially strong themes and characterizations. Rated: 2.5/5 Apr 25, 2008 Full Review Carlos Bonfil La Jornada German cinema has pressed upon the themes of redemption and guilt, both on a personal and collective level... [Four Minutes] is a discreet and at the same time eloquent piece of that necessary historical review. [Full review in Spanish] Dec 21, 2020 Full Review David Lamble Bay Area Reporter It's an erotically chaste but violently charged drama... May 21, 2020 Full Review Fr. Chris Carpenter Orange County and Long Beach Blade Potent tale...one of the ten best films released in 2008 Rated: A- Feb 27, 2009 Full Review Read all reviews

      Audience Reviews

      View All (316) audience reviews
      Peter G The familiar story of a teacher‘s relationship with a gifted pupil is given an interesting treatment which plays its premise through with more complexity than some critics have acknowledged, IMO. This is thanks to the remarkable characterizations enacted by 2 extraordinary actresses, Hannah Herzsprung & the late Monica Bleibtreu. How the story plays out is in some ways what one might expect from a film of this nature & yet the realism shown in the situation itself gives the situation an added element of credibility. These two characters, the piano student & the teacher who attempts to re-waken the latent talent in her pupil, become continually more affecting & absorbing & compensate for the few flaws in the stories details. Musical purists beware! The treatment of the Schumann piano concert may arise more than a few eyebrows. This is a German film with English subtitles & well worth seeing for the two actresses alone. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/24 Full Review Audience Member Excelente drama alemão, vários temas polêmicos interligados, nazismo, amores homoafetivo, assassinatos, presídio feminino, culpa, rejeição, bullying num aglomerado cenário de dores e agressão, mas um belo exemplo de perdão e superação.... Os alemães souberam emocionar, mesmo se utilizando da frieza que lhe és peculiar, excelente produção... Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/12/23 Full Review Audience Member I loved the movie. Very realistic characters and great plot. Hidden gem and well worth seeing Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review tony h Well worth the effort! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Loved it! I started watching equipped with only a short description of what the film was about and was riveted for the duration. Superb acting. Characters flawed and believable. This film will stay with me. I will watch it again. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review chris k Such a vibrant film! Nonetheless, it felt like it had greater potential... Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Movie Info

      Synopsis An elderly woman teaches piano to a young convict in a women's prison to transform her rage.
      Director
      Chris Kraus
      Producer
      Alexandra Kordes, Meike Kordes
      Screenwriter
      Chris Kraus
      Production Co
      Arte, Kordes & Kordes Film GmbH, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Südwestrundfunk (SWR)
      Genre
      Drama, Music
      Original Language
      German
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Apr 12, 2008, Original
      Release Date (DVD)
      Oct 7, 2008
      Runtime
      1h 52m