Like all Ulrich Seidl films it's not exactly easy to watch this one. But I found this early effort extremely uncomfortable to watch. It rather had me longing for the weird and sometimes disgusting characters of his other films, where the people at least were alive. In Der Ball the absence of any form of revolt or individuality among the youngsters and the officials alike made me shiver inside: This ball/prom is very important for us all. I can dance with many girls. I can talk to people. That's about everything what everybody says over and over again for nearly 50 minutes. The few other voices which sometimes appear (about the pressure of the group vs. the individual) drown among this overwhelming mainstream drivel.