Wer küßt schon einen Leguan? (2004) Reviews

• simple, heart-warming movie about growing up in unfortunate circumstances

  milomayr2004-07-15

  "Wer küsst schon einen Leguan" is a down-to-Earth and true-to-life story about a kid growing up in an urban ghetto in Eastern Germany. It recounts the misery of a kid growing up with his single mother, who has enough trouble handling her life, and her dominant macho boyfriend. Badly mistreated in school because of his poor background, the kid hopes to get some respect by making his classmates believe that a neighbour, successful writer, is his father. The writer and the boy start making friends. The storyboard is capturing, a little to romantizising at times. A simple, worthwhile and very heart-warming movie. 7/10

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• Never felt realistic or relevant

  Horst_In_Translation2017-07-11

  "Wer küßt schon einen Leguan?" or "Second Hand Child" is a German 90-minute movie from 2004, so it is two more years until this one has its 15th anniversary. The director is Karola Hattop and the writer is Michael Demuth and for both of them it is among their most known works for sure. But this does not really say anything positive about their careers I must say. I somehow feel that the only real reason that this German-language film is still somewhat known is because the main character is played by actor Frederick Lau, one of Germany's biggest stars now and he was a teenager still at that point. It is the story of a boy neglected by his mother, physically abused by her lover and as a consequence struggling at school as well. When in the absence of his mother a new man enters the picture, they may be a light at the end of the tunnel, but that light still needs a lot of convincing. Anyway, this is also one of the major problems. The Max Feldkamp character was so strictly against the idea of adopting Tobias and then suddenly he warms up to it. It is a feel-good ending, but nothing that felt authentic or realistic. Just won't cut the cake. The story in-between had some good and some bad, but again there were developments that made the film look very fictitious. The car accident to me felt like really for the sake of it to be honest. Realism is the one area where the movie tries so desperately to deliver and with that in mind, some plot point are just really huge negative deal-breakers. Also some of the actors weren't really that good and this refers especially to the child actors. Lau is decent, but most others really fade in comparison and there is a reason why these never made it big or why they even stopped acting and started working in non-famous professions. So yeah, all in all, I have to give this one a thumbs-down. Also not a fan at all of the German title. I know it is a reference to a song used in there, but it was really random in my opinion and certainly not significant enough for the film to be named after it. I am sure people can write a 10-page essay on how the song and title is really crucial from a metaphorical perspective, but I disagree. Watch something else instead.

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• One of the best movies in the world

  halation2005-09-08

  Frederick Lau, playing the leading part of the boy-child in this great German movie, was the last good and special actor what Germany can present. Maybe he was the last of the good ones, but one of the best. I'm sure. The movie was brilliant and Frederick did his best in acting, and I hope to get an autographed photo of Frederick in the next time. This would make me very glad and proud. And this is maybe the last wish I have to Germany. Thank you Frederick for your work. His statement to his movie he gave, was as great as the boy is. This movie is in Germany number 1, but nobody can buy this movie in a shop. I hope, this will change sometime.

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