"Jorinde und Joringel" is a German television movie from 2011, so not too long anymore until this one has its 10th anniversary. It is one of many fairytale movies from the last decade or so done by the public service broadcast stations and these include many pretty nice adaptations and films. This is one of them. Like most others it runs for pretty much exactly an hour, slightly under even, and you cann see the two title characters with their really melodic names in the photo section here on imdb. Director is Bodo Fürneisen and he worked on several of these fairytale films and same is true about his two writers where who, however, have not been that prolific. Certainly not as prolific as the two writers who were really in charge of the story this film delivers. Of course I am talking about the Brothers Grimm. I would say that most Germans have definitely heard the title of this one, but the story in detail is not too known to many I guess. My mother read several fairytales to me as a child, but I think this was not one of them. At least nothing clicked.
Now let's take a look at the outcome here exactly These fairytale films frequently feature pretty famous and successful actors just like theatrical kids movies do. Here we have Zack Michalowski, Katja Flint and Uwe Kockisch if we take a look at the older actors. The young ones frequently play central characters and most of the time they are not too famous. The likes of Herfurth play the likes of The Little Witch in big screen releases. But here at least the male protagonist is somewhat famous. Jonas Nay has enjoyed a really nice career so far for his age, but I think when this film was made, he was also still close to a nobody and the "Deutschland" series was not happening yet. His female counterpart here I must admit I am not familiar with. Then again looking at what she starred in most recently, this is not a surprise. I was more interested in Leonie Renée Klein, although obviously we knew he would go for Jorinde all along. No worries, I take the other one then. Okay, a few basics about the story. We have a sorceress here who says she wants to help girls who have been disappointed by males and gives them shelter. So, almost sounds like a bit of a feminist film really. But the truth is she holds them captive really and even if she believes she is helping them that is not reality. Still she may not be as evil as other main antagonist from Grimm tales because at least she grants her her freedom again after Joringel picks the right one and does not go full evil.
The sorceress' motivation is her own disappointment with a man she once loved. That one is played by Kockisch here and I wondered if these two would get a happy ending too, but it was not meant to be. But the two title characters do in what was maybe the weakest moment of the film when he transforms back to his younger self. It would have been better had she turned into an old lady herself too maybe. More touching at least for me. But in contrast to this scene, there are really good scenes and moments too like I really enjoyed the scenes with all the birds (even if they were caged). This did look pretty nice. So overall, it was a fairly entertaining television movie and it's kinda ironic these fairytale films these days are pretty much superior to 75% (maybe even more) of all other German small screen releases that are frequently very unrealistic, kitschy or just plain stupid and take itself too seriously nonetheless. This one here does not. Thumbs-up. Go watch if you like fairytale film adaptations if you get a chance to see it. Maybe a bit difficult to get your hands on it abroad, especially if you don't speak German fluently.
Now let's take a look at the outcome here exactly These fairytale films frequently feature pretty famous and successful actors just like theatrical kids movies do. Here we have Zack Michalowski, Katja Flint and Uwe Kockisch if we take a look at the older actors. The young ones frequently play central characters and most of the time they are not too famous. The likes of Herfurth play the likes of The Little Witch in big screen releases. But here at least the male protagonist is somewhat famous. Jonas Nay has enjoyed a really nice career so far for his age, but I think when this film was made, he was also still close to a nobody and the "Deutschland" series was not happening yet. His female counterpart here I must admit I am not familiar with. Then again looking at what she starred in most recently, this is not a surprise. I was more interested in Leonie Renée Klein, although obviously we knew he would go for Jorinde all along. No worries, I take the other one then. Okay, a few basics about the story. We have a sorceress here who says she wants to help girls who have been disappointed by males and gives them shelter. So, almost sounds like a bit of a feminist film really. But the truth is she holds them captive really and even if she believes she is helping them that is not reality. Still she may not be as evil as other main antagonist from Grimm tales because at least she grants her her freedom again after Joringel picks the right one and does not go full evil.
The sorceress' motivation is her own disappointment with a man she once loved. That one is played by Kockisch here and I wondered if these two would get a happy ending too, but it was not meant to be. But the two title characters do in what was maybe the weakest moment of the film when he transforms back to his younger self. It would have been better had she turned into an old lady herself too maybe. More touching at least for me. But in contrast to this scene, there are really good scenes and moments too like I really enjoyed the scenes with all the birds (even if they were caged). This did look pretty nice. So overall, it was a fairly entertaining television movie and it's kinda ironic these fairytale films these days are pretty much superior to 75% (maybe even more) of all other German small screen releases that are frequently very unrealistic, kitschy or just plain stupid and take itself too seriously nonetheless. This one here does not. Thumbs-up. Go watch if you like fairytale film adaptations if you get a chance to see it. Maybe a bit difficult to get your hands on it abroad, especially if you don't speak German fluently.
