Television Program: Sun and Cement (Broadcast on RTL from 20:15 to 22:30 hours)
In the heart of Germany, the drama film "Sonne und Beton" (2022) offers a raw and realistic portrayal of troubled families and aimless young men in an urban setting marked by high-rise blocks and hidden deals. Directed by David Wnendt, this film is based on the bestselling book of the same name by comedian Felix Lobrecht.
The plot revolves around characters Lukas, Julius, Gino, and Sanchez, played by Levy Rico Arcos, Vincent Wiemer, Rafael Luis Klein-Hessling, and Aaron Maldonado-Morales, respectively. They live in Gropiusstadt, on the outskirts of a big city, and face financial struggles. The film also features the characters Marco (played by Luvre47) and the Security Guard at School (played by Riad Chemali).
The characters' lives are fraught with personal and social conflicts, mirroring the tone and narrative style of the original novel. The story unfolds amid the backdrop of concrete housing estates, capturing themes of friendship, struggle, and survival in a gritty, realistic portrayal of contemporary youth and their environments.
One of the central conflicts in the film involves Lukas, who is beaten up by a dealer demanding 500 euros in protection money. In another scene, the trio of Lukas, Julius, and Gino get caught in a shootout between dealers while buying weed in the park.
The film's climax revolves around the trio's plan to steal the new school computers and sell them to get money. Despite the risks involved, they see their plan as foolproof. However, breaking into the storage room where the computers are kept will not be an easy task.
"Sonne und Beton" immerses the audience in this world over about two hours, with a runtime of 135 minutes. The film was released in 2022 and offers a gripping portrayal of the harsh social realities faced by these characters, set against the backdrop of record-breaking summer temperatures in Germany, including in the Berlin neighborhood of Gropiusstadt in 2003.
Other movies-and-tv series might portray fictional adventures or fantastical worlds, but "Sonne und Beton" delves deep into the gritty, contemporary reality of urban life, providing an entertaining and enlightening insight into the struggles of youth in Germany. This entertaining piece of entertainment offers a stark contrast to the escapism usually found in other movies-and-tv.
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