Review of Swing Kids (1993) by Nathan C — 26 Dec 2007

Some movies can withstand the test of time with dignity and grace, while others can withstand it but just not quite as well. Swing Kids is most likely one of those films.

Now, having said that, I never saw this film until last week. I don't have fond memories of it from younger years like some do. Some movies from the late 80's/early 90's succeed just as well in the eyes of today's film-lovers as those from back then.

But I digress.

I'm usually a fan of movies showing a subversive culture in which people don't want to give up what is precious to them. In this case it is a group of German teenagers in the late 1930's Nazi era who don't wish to conform to Hitler's Germany. So they lose themselves in swing dancing, which in itself is a psychological act of rebellion against the Nazi party since it was disapproving of the whole thing.

When two friends in the swing dance group end up joining the Hitler youth, one by force and the other to be with his friend, they end up going in opposite directions. One of them becomes more loyal to the Fuhrer and his ideals while the other one can do nothing but watch helplessly as his friend (a very young Christian Bale) succumb to the direction their country is going.

The first half of the movie works quite well but begins to fall apart in the second half. It tries too hard to TELL us what is going on without SHOWING us, and as a result the ending feels a bit forced.

But even so, this is not a bad movie. The historical background and psychological battle between the film's two main characters make it an interesting film that, while it could have been much better, could also have been much worse.