First of all, let's talk about the Chinese translation of the film. The ordinary word "Friendship" has been translated into "Journey to the West of the Communist Boy", which is irrelevant. Although there is no truth to it, it has formed a clear sense of joy, which not only matches the comedy characteristics of the film, but also vaguely conveys the dramatic conflict in it - "Communism" and "Journey to the West". Concise and engaging, such a translation can be called an excellent example.
When it comes to movies related to "Reunification of the Two Germanys" or "The Fall of the Berlin Wall", the most memorable one is "Goodbye Lenin" in 2003, which is also in the form of comedy. Warm, like an O Henry novel. However, if you want to find the taste of "Goodbye Lenin" in "Journey to the West", it may be futile. From this film is the first project of Sony Columbia Germany, you can smell some clues, and there must be many in the film. The Hollywood approach, as one of the more neutral German critics put it: the film is funny but silly, with a little less socialist subtlety.
The background of the story of "Journey to the West" is also after the Berlin Wall was dismantled. Tom and Werther, a pair of young "good friends" from East Germany, decided to visit San Francisco, the United States, the farthest reaches of the capitalist world. Speaking of the East German people's longing for the outside world, in fact, it was already revealed when the Berlin Wall was still in existence. Some people dig tunnels, some ride hot air balloons, some fly small planes, and there is even a sensational news that East German officer Wolfgang Engels drove an armored car into a wall to escape. With the reunification of Germany in 1990, nothing could stop the people of East Germany from flying freely.
Tom and Witt were cash-strapped and didn't have enough money to fly to San Francisco, so they had to sit on the east coast in New York first. From the moment they entered the customs, a series of absurd and embarrassing incidents accompanied them all the way. In fact, the main plot of the film is still real, from Thomas Zickler, one of the producers, such as language barriers, no money in your pocket, hitchhiking from New York to San Francisco, and striptease Working in clubs to earn money, etc. are all his personal experiences.
The journey from New York to San Francisco is the essence of this film, and its narrative style is also typical of American road films. It is a pity, however, that most of the jokes and gimmicks on the journey are relatively conventional. The cultural differences in Western countries are relatively small, not to mention that the director did not make good use of ideological contradictions to create dramatic conflicts, which made the material "East Germany". Almost deserted. Of course, since it is a road film, the characteristics of a road film (complete life experience, characters' spiritual communication) are also readily available. It turned out that Werther proposed to visit the United States. His fundamental purpose was to find his father who was suspected to have been away from home for many years, but what he finally got was the news that his father was killed on the spot when he tried to climb over the Berlin Wall. a sum.
Plus, Tom and Werther's friendship is tested along the way. Just as good girlfriends often tear up their faces for men, the opposite purpose of this pair of good friends in this film is also of the opposite sex. The German girl Zoe's family has helped the two people who are not familiar with each other a lot, and Zoe has also become the core of the love triangle. Werther loves Zoe, but Zoe loves Tom. So they parted ways. The English name of the film is "Friendship". In addition to the friendship between friends, there is naturally also the international friendship between the East German youth and the Americans. The Americans lent the car to them who did not know each other. In the end, they also delivered the car as promised. Good "advocate" a German's trustworthiness and American friendliness.
In terms of quality, "Journey to the West" is far inferior to "Goodbye Lenin". But looking at it from another angle, many years have passed since the Cold War, and sometimes you might as well put aside "ideology" or "state system". When you see the two communist boys in the film holding fake Berlin Wall bricks for sale with such a mentality, you will surely smile. You must know that President Reagan also used a part of the Berlin Wall torn down. built in his library.
♑
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