Of course you can't compare movies to books, but I've expected a lot more from this film. All in all it didn't feel very fluent: Slow character development and emotionless acting was my impression. The characters didn't feel very authentic (detlef seemed so forced to play an awkward person in some scenes), maybe because most of the kids weren't actors in the first place. Or the director intended the lack of emotions, fitting bored kids/teenagers, in that case I didn't like it very much.Besides the slow plot in the film, I think the overall mood was pretty spot on. All of the sets were pretty gloomy and it just gave me such a nasty feeling, looking at spots where all the junkies were consuming heroin (or even prostituting themselves).I did miss the aspect, that the viewer did not really know the motive behind Christiane. In the book, it is exactly explained, why she ultimately did drugs. There is only a short passage of her youth in the film, which could also have been included (Since the dialogues between characters felt like ages passing, it should have been doable). Edit: It does become better in the second half of the movie.To sum up: I don't think it is a bad movie, because it is a drama with a very interesting matter, but the whole style to it just isn't my cup of tea.

This movie is disturbing!The scenes of people taking heroin and bloody needles and fights for the fix is just disturbing for me. Maybe because I never took any kind of drug and this movie was some kind of a revelation to me, but on the other hand, it went through my mind that it is good I never taken any.The movie was shot in that way that I had a feeling that I was there...That I was present whole time while the girl and the boy were struggling with their addiction.I was also shocked to see ( but I guess the movie did not go far from truth) that there were so many of those addicted people at metro and train stations...It was very uncomfortable for me to watch. As I said very disturbing!I think the boy did a bit better job in acting than the girl. Both were great and both cute. David Bowie in the movie was a 'weird' touch, but I guess his 'colorfulness' fit the film good.All in all, eight from me.

Based on a non-fiction book by Vera Christiane Felscherinow Christiane F is an example tough, hard hitting, but excellent film about drug addiction that can stand alongside the likes of Trainspotting, Requiem for a Dream and Thirteen.Christiane (Natja Brunckhorst) is a 13-year-old girl who lives with her mother in a social housing building in West Berlin during the late 70s. Her younger sister moves out and her mother has a new boyfriend. Christiane starts to spend her Saturday evenings in a nightclub called Sound and soon befriends a group of teenagers, including Delef (Thomas Haustein) who becomes her boyfriend. She soon slides into a world of drugs, taking LSD and heroin and becomes a street prostitute when she is 14.Christiane F. is a tough watch but director Uli Edel injects enough and Brunckhorst's performance makes the film a very compelling watch. Edel shows Berlin to be a very depressing, concert jungle that is decaying and uses dark and gritty cinematography constantly. Edel sets out to show the world as it is and we see the full efforts of heroin use and addiction as the characters physically and socially decay. Edel shows confidence with his staging, using steady camera and continuous takes to show characters, Christiane in the club or going into their drug apartment. There were two moments particularly that reminded me of Requiem for a Dream, one where Christiane is in the back of a car where she tries heroin for the first time and one in Bahnhof Zoo shot in a dream like way as we follow Christiane and has a fantastic deep piano song in the background.Brunckhorst gave a fantastic, natural performance as we see Christiane becomes dependent on drugs. The whole cast were excellent and it is even more remarkable because many of them were non-actors in very tough roles and Christiane F. is their only acting credit. We see Christiane change physically, both with her dress and hair to losing weight and becomes more pale. There are tough but great sequence when Christiane gets high, shaking and swearing the middle of the night and the tough withdrawn sequence.Christiane F. also has constant theme of foreshadowing of what could happen to Christiane, seeing how addict and people saying they don't want to do heroin before submitting. There are moments where addicts also try to talk people out of trying drugs in a half-hearted manner and the film aims for realistic behaviour of addicts, which was wonderfully handled.Christiane F. also has a great soundtrack, both using David Bowie music and the score as already mention.I have not read the book, so I cannot truly judge it as an adaption, but I would have been interesting to see how Christiane dealt with school as she became more addicted to heroin and looked more at her mother, either noticing or ignoring a change in her behaviour: even if it a quick discussion between the mum and the boyfriend and dismissing it as typical teenage rebellion.Christiane F. is a very bleak and grim film but it is worth watching. It should be praised for its realism, actors, direction and style.

I'm not easily shocked but this incredible film managed to do so a number of times. Films like this appeal greatly to me as I value and appreciate realism. I like to see things how they truly are, as graphic as it may be; which this film accomplishes.Other films that strongly cover drug addiction such as Requiem for a Dream and Trainspotting are very stylized from a cinematic standpoint, were as Christiane F. is horrifically raw. Director Uli Edel holds nothing back; the film is shot in a way that gives a real feeling of authenticity, presenting a very graphic and confronting depiction of the drug culture of that era. And capturing to great effect the bleakness and despair these young people go thorough on a daily basis trying to get their fix at whatever cost.I've read many posts at IMDb from people who talk about whether or not this film glamorizes drug use. I don't think it does, not intentionally anyway. But I can understand how teenagers perhaps now but especially from that era may find that culture appealing. For example, the scenes that take place in the Sound night club and at the David Bowie concert. There's the style of dress, the music, joints being passed around the audience, the atmosphere and of course David Bowie performing live in all his glory. Tell me that wouldn't be appealing to many teenagers.Natja Brunckhorst who plays Christiane gives a very convincing performance in her first ever film role. She does appear to be a little awkward in some scene but it's understandable given the subject matter. The young cast consists of mainly unknown actors who give fine performances which is a huge credit to them all.One of the film's most appealing qualities is the amazing soundtrack provided by musical icon David Bowie, who also makes a special guest appearance. It's kind of ironic that Bowie provided the soundtrack to this film being that during the late 70s he was at the lowest point of his cocaine addiction and decided to move to Berlin kick the habit a revitalize his career, which he did with great success.Christiane F. is such an intense and powerful film. At just over two hours long I was at no point board with the plot, I found it captivating unable to look away. This is the type of film that should be shown in high schools as part of anti-drug programs, as it's an in depth look into a dehumanizing world that most of us can't imagine being a part of.