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Swing Kids

Play trailer Poster for Swing Kids PG-13 Released Mar 5, 1993 1h 52m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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56% Tomatometer 18 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
American big-band jazz beats in the hearts of young German friends (Robert Sean Leonard, Christian Bale, Frank Whaley) confronted by the Nazis.
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Swing Kids

Critics Reviews

View All (18) Critics Reviews
Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader If it seems that kitsch of this kind is a less than ideal way to teach history, it's still infinitely preferable to Reagan's Bitburg pieties. Feb 21, 2020 Full Review Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Rated: B- Sep 7, 2011 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times There are moments here where the movie seems to believe Hitler was bad, not because he mapped genocidal madness, but because he wouldn't let the Swing Kids dance all night. Rated: 1/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Sergio Benítez Espinof A film that, in the end, stands as the best overall quality of the proposal. [Full Review in Spanish] Jul 26, 2019 Full Review Vanessa Letts The Spectator Despite the film's overall ridiculousness, however, the choreography and music by Cab Calloway and Django Reinhardt is brilliant. Jul 24, 2018 Full Review Malcolm Johnson Hartford Courant Like the films of the '30s and '40s it pays homage to, this portrait of jazz-crazy teenagers in Nazi Germany brims with the passion and anguish of free spirits caught in a crushing world they never made. Jun 6, 2018 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Georgan G Some will say it's corny, but seems up to date to me. The individual stands against evil or there is no chance at all to reform. Certain scenes in this film could be cut, but the joy of dancing brings it all home. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/19/24 Full Review Tom F A surprisingly vivid look at how fascism works and a few enthusiastic dance scenes, but otherwise pretty flat storytelling. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 07/06/24 Full Review Marcel B An excellent and wonderful but unfortunately highly underestimated movie. Although there are some historical inaccuracies is this an important, valuable, great movie and in many aspects brilliant. As a historian, art historian and musicologist and also specialist of „Das Dritte Reich“ I must say that I don‘t know a single history feature film without historical mistakes. This movie contains adequates and even sophisticated insights concerning the National Socialist era. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/01/24 Full Review Audience Member A new group of teenagers formed once the Nazi party started to envelop Europe during the 1930s In particular we focus on 1939 in Hamburg on two best friends Peter and Thomas played by Robert Sean Leonard and a young Christian Bale The country is overrun by the Der Fuher and they expect absolute obedience from all citizens But living a double life for Peter and Thomas proves to be challenging as it affects their friends and family This actually has some historical background since it was a real group of German teens that enjoyed American and British pop culture, as a result they hung out in secret underground clubs dancing to swing music Even the music sold at stores had to be approved by the Nazi officials or be banned It's tough seeing one of the biggest groups in history year their own country apart; some believe in the cause others see it as slowly taking over and changing everything so rapidly like a form of surrendering and self-control It's also horrifying learning what a social movement party like this is capable of until it's too late The movie is a bit ridiculous at certain points plus it's not a happy history lesson Those who defied the order were sent to work camps or serve in the army ending up dead Yet a new wave of Swing Kids continued to grow to see the Nazis defeated in the end Director Thomas Carter makes a bleak look at human history while still having the passion and anguish of free spirits caught in a crushing world A split down the middle of a movie but effective Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/06/24 Full Review Shannon S Bale in yet another display of insane talent , he can dance the pants off anyone in Hollywood Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/18/23 Full Review Ben N This movie should be seen by American and European youth today - for the great acting and swing music, but more for the warning about what happens when you 'go along to get along' and when you listen to leaders who place blame for societal ills on a few select groups of people; as if "they" are out to get you. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 03/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Swing Kids

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis American big-band jazz beats in the hearts of young German friends (Robert Sean Leonard, Christian Bale, Frank Whaley) confronted by the Nazis.
Director
Thomas Carter
Producer
Mark Gordon, John Bard Manulis
Production Co
Hollywood Pictures
Rating
PG-13
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 5, 1993, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$5.4M
Runtime
1h 52m
Sound Mix
Surround, Stereo
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