Review: Nothing Bad Can Happen (Tore Tanzt)

My job comprises of traveling for around 4-5 hours a day. Thanks to Mumbai traffic. The best way to kill time or to use the time productively is to watch movies or read a book. But reading book in in dim light and in slow moving bus is not an good option. Hence I mostly spend my time either watching movies or tv series. 

Recently I started learning German. In order to complement my German studies I decided to watch German movies. The problem is to search good German movie. IMDB and Wikipedia were not of great help. I wanted to watch movies which had been greatest hits in recent time.

During my search for movies I came across Tore Tanzt thats was released in 2013 and received critical acclaim. I prefer watching light hearted movies which are fun filled. Tore Tanzt (or Nothing Bad Can Happen in English) is far from being light hearted. The movie is very well made and directed considering the fact that this is debut movie for its Director Katrin Gebbe who also wrote this movie. 

Spoiler Alert

Movie is story of Tore and it starts with his baptism in group of young Christian group called Jesus Freaks. Jesus Freaks are bunch of punk religious guys who merge religion with punk culture of easy going life, rock music etc.

Tore stays with his friend. After his baptism on their way to home Tore and his friend meet a family who are stuck on the road due to car breakdown. They had recently arrived in city after they were allotted plot to stay.Tore and his friend pray to Jesus to start the car. To the amusement of entire family the car starts. The family comprises of Benno, his wife and his wife's 2 kids who were born of different father.

Benno goes to the bar run by Jesus Freaks. There he spots Tore dancing on the rave music. Tore has epileptic attack during the dance. Benno takes unconscious Tore to his home and gives him food and shelter to stay at night. Next Benno tells Tore to stay with his family at their allottment which he accepts. Since there is no room for him in house, Tore stays outside in tent. 

Things are good initially. Benno is shown as kind and level headed man trying to help Tore. His wife is indifferent and their 15 year old daughter Sanny in reserved to herself and is not happy with the presence of Tore.

Slowly the attitude of Benno towards Tore changes. On the day of birthday of Sanny he hits Tore hard on face. Later he apologizes for it but slowly his violence and ill treatment towards Tore increases with time, Benno gets angry with Tore and his wife when he comes to know that they had gone for outing in spite of him saying not to go. 

Tore gives his money and his card to Benno. Benno takes all his money rendering Tore penniless. 

Tore goes to visit his Jesus Freaks friend and comes to know that the group has been disbanded and most of the freaks are now moving to Berlin. His friend tells Tore to come with him which he refuses. 

Meanwhile Benno stops giving food to Tore. Sanny comes closer to Tore and Benno does not like it. Out of jealousy he stops giving him food and limits his entry in house. Tore bears all the torture having belief that this is the way Jesus is testing his faith in him. 

Tore out of hunger starts eating thrown away food from trash. His condition goes from bad to worst. Once he sees Benno trying to molest Sanny. Benno gets angry and mistreats him more badly. Tore is physically molested by Benno's friend. Slowly wife of Benno also starts mistreating Tore. Condition gets worst when Tore is force fed rotten meat and he gets bad food poisoning. Sanny quietly takes him out of his tent and tells him to go to hospital and never come back. She calls ambulance and leaves him on street. Tore is admitted to hospital. He recovers but again goes back to Benno's place.

Sanny's face is bruised and it seems that Benno has started physically hurting her. 

Tore is confident and out of his religious beliefs he says that he will get stronger and Benno will change one day. He bears all the physical torture of Benno quietly. 

One day Benno's neighbor and friend come to their home for dinner and party. During party Benno gets very angry on Tore. He hits Tore very badly and leaves him severely bruised. After this Benno's wife and his friend's wife torture Tore leaving him half dead. Tore bears all the torture without any retribution.

Later Benno, his wife and his friends decide to dump half dead Tore somewhere. They take him in their pick up truck outside city in remote place. He is thrown near small drain. Benno has one last look at Tore and realizes that he is not dead. He asks him where is his God to which Tore replies by pointing finger to his heart. Out of hatred Benno kicks him in the drain where the plants around him form a sort of halo or wreath. 

During this time Sanny sneaks out of home with his brother taking all her stuff.

Spoiler Alert ends

Though this movie has many uncomfortable and violent themes the story grips you. The theme of immense belief in times of impending bad times is beautifully portrayed. During the entire movie you are forced to think that why does not Tore just leave the family. He accepts the Benno family out of his own will thinking that his belief in Jesus will change them one day.

The change of attitude of characters during the course of movie stands out. Benno is shown as benevolent and helping man in beginning but he slowly turns in to violent sadist. Same goes with his wife and his friends who slowly takes pleasure in torturing Tore. Sanny is shown as rude and indifferent character in beginning but she turns out to be kind hearted.

Turning such a story into good movie is a challenge which is brilliantly delivered by director Katrin Gebbe. It is mentioned in the beginning of the movie that it is based on true story.

I would rate this movie 7 out of 10