Christiane F. - Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo

Year:	1981
Genre:	Drama
Director:	Uli Edel
Cast:	Natja Brunckhorst - Christiane Thomas Haustein - Detlev Jens Kuphal - Axel Rainer Woelk - as Rainer Wölk

Drugs used: Heroine, Marijuana, LSD

Tagline: Sie sind noch Kinder und haben ihre Zukunft schon verspielt.

The Story:This is a very dark film that portrays childhood drug abuse in Berlin in the late 70's. It is not for the faint of heart, as there is death; many needle scenes, vomiting from the characters and prostitution scenes. The story is not happy and it is a downward spiral of one child's sorry life in Berlin. The only happy moment comes in the last 30 seconds of the film, as it is depressing all the way up to the end. But, this is a love story (a dark one) about Christiane and Detlev and their journey through the life of drugs as teenagers in Berlin. Even though the relationship is damned, it is still touching.

This powerful and shocking movie is an adaption from the bestselling book based on the true story of Christiane F. Having lived in Berlin until the mid 80's and being the same age as Christiane F. Berlin was a dark and depressing city at the time, yet a true metropolis with all its problems. You didn't have to be part of the "drug scene" to notice it everywhere in the downtown and surrounding area. Strung out junkies hitting you up for money in subway stations, streetwalkers, prostitutes at the Bahnhof Zoo ...

The film boasts some very good teenage actors in a 14-year-old Natja Brunckhorst as Christiane and Thomas Haustein as Detlev. Both portray emotions common to the characters: lack of confidence, desperation, depression and denial very well. Both characters are very believable and you will form an emotional attachment to both. The soundtrack is all David Bowie, which really provides an excellent set of moments with the music. I was very impressed that his music could be placed so well into a movie