Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "Gegen die Wand" is a German/Turkish 2-hour film from over 10 years ago. It was not the breakthrough movie for writer and director Faith Akin, but it is probably his most famous work so far, and his most successful. It won big at the German Film Awards, European Film Awards and several other awards bodies, even if it was not chosen to represent Germany in the Foreign Language Oscar race. That's not a problem though as I don't believe this is a movie the Academy would go for. It was a bit of a breakthrough film for lead actor Birol Ünel and a definite breakthrough for Sibel Kekilli, who you may have seen not too long ago in "Game of Thrones". Lets talk a bit about the characters they play. Ünel plays a Turkish man who has basically fully adapted to life in Germany, without culture or religion. Without his name, you could think he is actually German. He also does not look really Turkish. But he is. And that is crucial as Kekilli's character wants to marry him in order to find peace with his traditional family. However, in reality and spirit, she is very much alike to her fake husband. She wants to have fun, sleep around, party etc., just live the life.Both main characters have a talent for being self-destructive. The male has severe anger management issues that result in a moment which changes everything. The female has a drug problem, but is also too free-spirited for her own good, which may cost her everything on several occasions. Both lead actors play their parts very well and are the heart and soul of the film. The perception that Ünel is the only real lead becomes flawed when the actions starts focusing almost entirely on Kekilli's character two thirds into the movie. There are some very tense scenes in here and this may not be a good watch for younger audiences.I wrote earlier that this is probably Akin's most known film. He has worked on several films that combine German (locations) with foreign (for example Greek and Italian) culture. Here we get his take on his very own roots as you can easily see by his name. It is probably also his most serious film. Many of his works have a fair share of humour and comedy attached to them. "Gegen die Wand" does not and that is perfectly fine, even if it's not the best choice to represent Akin's generally lighter body of work. I think it would not have fit the tone at all. This is a really good dramatic character study and I also liked that he does not go for a forced happy ending by any means. It also fits the description of my review. The movie deals almost exclusively only with the time in the two protagonists' lives, during which they know each other and deal with one another. At the end, he is her way into her past, into a world, in which she may be free, but is it worth sacrificing her present for this new life? It's a question you will have to answer for yourself just like Sibel did. A pretty good film and I recommend the watch. Quite tense from start to finish.

varun_120 You get to see two totally hapless characters in this movie. Sibel comes from a traditional Turkish family. She wants to break loose, she enjoy her life to the fullest. She wants to drink, sleep around, use drugs etc. While Cahit is an empty bottle collector who is very unhappy with life.When Sibel meets Cahit in a hospital, she asks him if he could marry her. Cahit says no, then he wants to know the reason. She says, they would marry but will not have any physical relationship. She just wants to go away from her family. They get married. But after some time, they start to love each other and this love becomes the very reason for their devastation. But in the end it turns out that, this love changes both of them completely. One thing I've learned from this movie is that love can change your life totally. Only love can do impossible things possible. The love between Sibel and Cahit becomes a reason for destroying both of their lives. But this love becomes the only reason to make them better human beings. Sibel kekilli was a porn star before she did this film. She has done a fabulous job in this film along with her opposite actor. This wonderful actress has been pulled out of the porn industry by the director and given a fine actress to the film industry. This movie is very powerful and I give it 8/10.

Vain-Adryanne This was definitely a bad movie.I saw that rating and the plot seemed good, and I had some expectations.The beginning was just stupid and unrealistic...a girl asking to a stranger that never talked to to marry her. Is not such a bad thing for a not to be realistic,but this was supposed to reflect reality.Birol Ünel was just great,he played so good his role but Siebl...I was expecting her to be a nice girl that felt in love with the older man that faced so much problems and help him but she turned to be just a superficial little girl,a slut that become a junkie too. So what can I say. Wasn't even a good story,cause she did not love him,she just used him.The scriptwriter just made her look a little jealous in some scenes,but that was all. A good love story should be deep,but this movie really did not touched me.The end could have saved the movie a little,but it did not...was just dry.Not any movie that treats a problem like addiction and is spiced with a bit of love deserves such a good rating.I would only give a 10 to Birol Ünel but the movie definitely deserves no more than a 5.

GeneSiskel Don't drink and drive. If you do the crime, you'll do the time. Resist picking a fight with hopped up young toughs on a deserted city street late at night. Marriage is serious business. Work hard. Stay in school. You can't always get what you want.These are some of the salutary, middle-class lessons about Turkish society, and Turks living in Hamburg, that I learned from Head-On, an independent film rich in local color, sex, and violence. Surprised? I guess that's the point: Don't let the minarets fool you; under the patina of different customs, music, and family traditions, secular Turks are no different from anyone else. Once you have found her, never let her go.The book and direction are by Fateh Akin, a talented young Hamburg film-maker of Turkish ethnicity. His pacing and cinematography are excellent. Birol Unel is appropriately dissolute and menacing as the reluctant husband. Sibel Kekilli is beautiful, damaged, and lost as the eager wife. The minor characters are well played by engaging actors, often of Turkish descent. There is enough conflict here for an action picture, enough twists and turns to elude every ultimate cliché of romance stories. We care about these characters, and that alone merits viewing and the awards this picture won.