In July (2000) User Reviews

Mayan sun

[jotix100 · 8/10 · 28 January 2006]

This sunny German film was a complete surprise. In fact, it's one of the best things that we have seen from that country in a while, which proves that when a talent like Mr. Akin is at the helm, one must rush to see whatever he decides to present for us.

In fact, the beginning of the film is kind of disorienting. We are thinking one way, and suddenly we are taken back to another time and another situation involving Daniel. We saw him in the lonely road where Isa happens to be taking on his way home to Turkey. Right after he has been left behind, we meet him again in different circumstances as he is teaching math to a group of inattentive students who are preparing for their summer vacations.

Daniel, after meeting Juli, buys a Mayan sun ring that she promises will let him meet a woman who will have a ring to match his, that same night, and that woman will be his true love. When sees the lovely and exotic Melek, who is wearing a tee shirt with what appears to be another Mayan sun, he believes the prophesy has come true. Melek, who is traveling to Turkey tells him about how she is going to wait under a bridge for the man who is destined for her. Daniel is so taken with this beautiful creature that he decides to follow her all the way to Istanbul. The only problem is that in taking to the road, Daniel discovers himself and gets to meet his true love at the end.

The film is made more enjoyable by Mortiz Bleibtreu's work in it. This young actor has a face that registers all the emotions running through him at the time. He makes the movie work because of his intelligent approach to the role. Equally charismatic is Christiana Paul, who plays Juli. Lovely Idil Uner is seen as Melek and Mehmet Kurtulus is Isa and Branke Katic plays Luna.

The film is a road movie that shows some beautiful European countryside and byways as the trip progresses from Germany to its end in Istanbul. Mr. Akin has directed with great panache as he involves us, the viewers, into this fun trip.

A Miracle: A romantic comedy from Germany that works!!

[mp65steady · 8/10 · 9 August 2000]

It's almost a miracle: This German film tries to seduce its viewers, and it succeeds! It tells the rather simple story of a young, intelligent man (Moritz Bleibtreu) who doesn't realize that the woman of his dreams (a dread-locked Christiane Paul) is right next to him. Instead he takes on an odyssey from Hamburg, Germany, to Istanbul, Turkey, crossing foreign and often enough hostile grounds (Bavaria, Austria, Yugoslavia, Romania, Bulgaria) to get there in time. Right from the beginning the film feels trustworthy - and it gets better all the time. The film is funny, romantic, yet always on the brink of being melodramatic with a glimpse of tragedy here and there. It's an irresistible combination that Germans almost never achieve. (And maybe they wouldn't have done it even with this script - director Fatih Akin is from Turkey!) Bleibtreu, who had a wonderful bit-part as a dumb, tarantinesque killer in "Knockin' on Heaven's door" is very appealing here, but it is the tall and beautiful Christiane Paul (from "Das Leben ist eine Baustelle"/Life is under construction), who delivers the emotional knockout punches. She's plain and simple gorgeous, a revelation to those of haven't had the pleasure of seeing her so far.

Audience favorite

[lovepade · 8/10 · 7 January 2003]

I saw this movie at the Zimbabwe International Film Festival 2001, where it won the audience favorite prize. Its competitors where among other excellent films "Love is a bitch", "Girl on the bridge", "Girl of your dreams", "Her eyes", "Mifunes song".

The movie is a sort of feel-good road movie through the Balkans. There is lots of action, flirting with fate, and going through hell to find the one you love.

It's cinematography is beautiful, and this is truly a very good movie!

8/10

(pls if you know how I can get this movie, please mail me)

'In July' is a wonderful romantic comedy cum road picture

[cmarquis · 10/10 · 2 February 2002]

I saw the very surprising "In July (Im Juli)" at our International Film Festival last fall and was stunned by how good and how funny it was. "German romantic comedy" sounded like an oxymoron, but others who had seen it urged me to give it a try. Wow!

This film was a marvel as a piece of entertainment. It's tight, fast, funny, surprising, and charming. Part romantic comedy and part road picture, the story is full of twists and delights as it takes you on a ride across Europe, switching languages as we go - German, English, Bulgarian, Turkish. The look of the film is great, with dynamic camera work and beautifully framed scenes. The editing and pace are wonderful, and the music choices are ideal. Acting by both stars couldn't be better for the story, as they are charming, touching, and funny. The story itself will keep you guessing and then wrap-up with an end that's both satisfying and refreshing. Who would have thought a German film could have such lightness and playfulness? This is strictly an entertainment film; it's not deep or significant - the usual German film forte. But the film is a whole lot of fun. The audiences here at the film festival loved it and it was a near-miss for audience favorite (right behind another more serious German film), but this is quite an achievement for a film that's just light entertainment.

Hopefully, this film will find greater distribution, and encourage it's filmmakers to make more movies. Right now, I know of no plans for wider distribution of this terrific gem. I hope that changes soon. Distributors?

Light and funny yet deep and charming - an original movie you shouldn't miss!

[adinutzza2001 · 9/10 · 31 December 2005]

What I found special about the "Im Juli" is that, although the story feels like a fantasy, the characters are very warm and real. All those meetings and coincidences looked a little unbelievable first time, but now I think everything makes sense if we see the story as an allegory…meaningful but at the same time light and funny.

The playfulness of the script might perhaps make some miss the message of the movie, but the message actually is there and is a strong one. As I see it, "Im Juli" is a story about hope and about finding life and happiness. Searching for the one meant for you in furthest places to realise that what you've been searching for was right next to you all along.

I liked the idea of the first part of the movie being a flashback until we get back to the sun eclipse we had seen at the beginning. After the sun comes out again it looks like dark gets out of Daniel's mind and the sun shows him the right way this time: that Juli was the one he had been searching all along. The whole journey changes Daniel incredibly much as with her sun amulet, Juli learns him to do the same as her: trust faith and go on searching for happiness. The ending was really perfect: all the 4 characters' roads coming together and Daniel finally seeing the ultimate proof that he had found what he was looking for.

What I enjoyed about the movie is that although the message is a serious one, the story is so light and everything goes on really fast and surprising. The whole journey through so many different countries and passing beside so many different people and cultures was really interesting and refreshing, as were all the characters in the movie. All the actors, playing the Turkish guy, Luna or the officer at the Romanian border, looked they were really enjoying their roles and brought most of the movie's humour: great, subtle and nothing Hollywood like.

All in all, I thought it was a really enjoyable movie, so different from the usual productions we get from Hollywood. Really a movie you shouldn't miss!

Wonderful!!!!!

[stefanhoeffllin · 25 August 2000]

I´ve seen this movie yesterday on its opening day. I loved it! Moritz Bleibtreu (one of my favorite german actors) plays Daniel, a young secondary school teacher in Hamburg. A young girl called Juli (Christiane Paul) falls in love with him. She tries to give him a sign, but he don´t recognize it. On the same day, he meets a young turkish girl called Melek (magic:Idil Üner), who is on the way to Istanbul. Daniel falls in love with her. He wants to follow and see her again. But as he leaves Hamburg with his car, he picks up Juli as a hitchiker. A chaotic trip through southern Europe begins...

A romantic road movie with young and talented actors. Watch it!!!

Chasing the Mayan Sun

[8bithummingbird · 7/10 · 15 October 2021]

A myterious encounter with a girl, chasing the Mayan sun for a hope for happiness, letting go of worries and embracing what the future holds for them. Trying to catch their luck in an adventerous and venturesome road trip.

Letting go of themselves to where the wind would carry in the search of true love. Changing the continents, running through the corridors of the Balkans, flowing through the Bosphorus with the magical pristine Istanbul view...

If you wanna watch an international romcom road-trip with a funny plot-twist, here's your pick!

At Last!

[AysegulOguz · 10/10 · 15 July 2003]

Finally we get the chance to see a Fatih Akin film (apart from some festival screenings!)in Turkey. Even though he is originally Turkish his films never been in Turkish movie theatres before. How weird is that? My two friends and I went to see this film after a tiring workday. We were all full of stress hoping to chill out. After the film we were the happiest people on planet. I haven't seen a film that makes me feel this good for a long time. I felt both proud and jealous for Fatih Akin. He has great directing skills. The electricity between the actors and the director is awesome. You can easily see that everyone who involved this film is happy to be there. And the audience was also so happy to be there and meet this bright young director. I saw couple of German films that directed by young directors (some of them second generation Turkish ones) lately. I must say most of them were really inspiring and brave films. They have the humanity and originality that makes wait for the next example. In the film we see a variety of eccentric (Luna), free spirited (Juli), boring (Daniel), dull (the guardians at the Romanian and Turkish borders) people. But in the end they are all good in their hearts. We see no one truly bad or plain. I watched the director on a talk show the other day. He was also so positive and that tells us how he managed to direct such a "feel good" movie. It is a great idea to end the film in Istanbul, a magical city for a magical ending. Those, who haven't seen the "In July" yet. You don't know what you're missing. You cannot find this taste in any mainstream movie. Go and see this really good film. Thank you Fatih Akin for making this movie. I can't wait to see his next work.

Good film

[rdenk · 7/10 · 28 October 2015]

Director Faith Akin is ahead of his time in his 2000 film Im Juli in that he successfully portrays the ideals of a cosmopolitan Europe before the European Union was in existence. His dramatic film captures the essence of cosmopolitanism and transnationalism and raises questions of Heimat and belongingness through the love story of straightedge Daniel and free-spirited Juli.

A Turkish-German himself, Akin transcends the cultural boundaries he is all too familiar with in this film and projects an idealistic, sometimes fantastical notion of a borderless Europe and a common humanity. Daniel and Juli's journey to "The Exotic South" takes them across numerous cultures, borders, languages and experiences, and encourages the viewer to adapt their perspective on the world surrounding them. Daniel and Juli's decision to stay in Turkey at the end of the film raises the idea of Heimat fluidity and whether a Heimat can change, a question a transnational director such as Akin has most likely faced himself.

The fact that Im Juli was released before the installment of the European Union and Euro is not one to be taken lightly. The culture shocks experienced by Daniel as well as the border issues they face attempting to cut across Eastern Europe evoke the question of how the European Union today has – or, controversially, hasn't – facilitated cooperation and understanding between Europeans. Many of the issues Daniel faces are still relevant today – notably, the borders of Bulgaria and Romania, which currently still exist in a "Twilight Zone" between joining the Schengen tradition of border freedom and the strict (or perhaps not strict) border control we see in many scenes.

Akin's film not only sticks to a German idea of Epic Theatre as opposed to traditional Aristotelian drama, but in fact almost satirizes the latter. While from the start of the film it may appear evocative of dramatic theatre – a short, dramatic timeline, a goal of reaching Istanbul by Friday, et cetera – by the end it quickly corrects itself. When Daniel says to continue south on their adventure rather than go back to Hamburg, he – and the viewer – learn that the journey was the destination the whole time, with eyes on the course rather than the destination. We also see that our main character is able to be changed, something unique to epic theatre – Daniel starts the movie as a rigid and rather boring man, yet at the end we see that he has become both adventurous and willing to gather new experiences, almost becoming, in many respects, similar to Juli.

All in all, Akin's film is commendable for it's usage of cosmopolitanism in a time where the idea was still foreign. His usage of Brecht's epic theatre fosters a unique film in which Daniel's journey with Juli ends up being the real ending point he needed.

A Summer Night's Dream

[ChWasser · 9/10 · 28 August 2000]

It's been a long time since I've seen a film so unabashedly emotional. It often crosses the line to kitsch (thus getting a little embarrassing sometimes), but that doesn't matter because the whole thing is just so overwhelmingly likeable that I saw it twice in a row. A perfect feel-good-movie for the summer holidays. There are so many great scenes: Daniel and Juli getting stoned and singing "Blue Moon", Luna (played incredibly sexy by Branka Katic) laughing crazily during the chase through Budapest or the photos of Romania (who took those when both Daniel and Juli are in the picture?)

But you better don't scrutinize the logic too closely and while the dialogue also could have been more inspired and witty (as in Fatih Akin's first film "Kurz und schmerzlos"), "Im Juli" more than makes up for it with great characters, inventive cinematography (especially in the hallucinating scenes), a wonderful soundtrack and the rarely seen locations of SouthEastEurope. Makes you want to drive to Istanbul right away. See this film (even if you're a jaded cynic)! I gave it 9/10.

Kitsch

[snauth · 6/10 · 13 February 2005]

To me kitsch in movies is more than a question of bad taste. Kitsch is emotional in the worst possible way: it reconciles with things which should cause anger. If kitsch occurs in a movie without a huge disclaimer saying "hello, I know this is kitsch" it easily spoils the whole thing for me. "Im Juli" often crosses the line to kitsch and it reconciles people with their lives - 'it makes you leaving the cinema with a smile on your lips', that is what I heard (and read here) many times. And it did that to me as well, what a terrible thing to happen! So, if you are in need of some reconciliation with the world or whatever it is you are living in dis-concord with, give this a try (success not guaranteed however).

instant Faith Akin fan

[efini226 · 10/10 · 16 November 2004]

For someone to write, direct, and act successfully in a movie shows a great talent at work. Mr. Akin also shows great talent in finding wonderful actors. A terrific story for anyone who has dreamed about a journey about finding life. With gyspies, beautiful women, mind altering drugs, fellow travelers, traveling throughout countries, all to find what has been missing in life after thousands of miles was right in front of you all along. It also shows that though people may be different, we are all looking for the same thing, happiness. I can count on one hand the stories that have made me cry with joy, this being one of them. I can't wait to see more of Mr. Faith Akin's movies as I have become an instant fan with I'm July!

Solid German road movie, good love story

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 29 January 2015]

"Im Juli." (don't forget the full stop) is an early Faith Akin film starring two young German actors Moritz Bleibtreu and Christiane Paul, both still under 30 years old. Bleibtreu won the German Film Award for his work here and in "Das Experiment". Not too big on Paul usually, but I thought she gave a decent performance here, even if I found Idil Üner 10 times as attractive as her. And Mehmert Kurtulus plays a character whose story I found almost more interesting than the one from Bleibtreu's character. Sadly, we only find out the very basics about him. Initially, he seems like a contract killer with a corpse in the trunk of his car, but things are not always what they seem. For Akin, it was sort of an early breakthrough film, not as big as "Gegen die Wand, but still pretty successful.

The film's big strength is the writing. Akin did a fine job here. There are only very few scenes when it is off the mark, for example the border scene that features Akin himself in a cameo as a border official. The whole marriage reference is slightly cheesy as are the words that Bleibtreu's character says to Juli at the end. On a side-note, somehow I always felt that Juli would not be attracted to a nice looking guy like Bleibtreu's character. Anyway, back to the writing. The whole bridge part was pretty genius. That he intended to go there to meet the one girl first, but finally the other girl. I also liked that when he sees Juli from behind it was the typical scene that it could turn out to be somebody else in a comedic fashion, but here it was actually her. We see the transformation in Bleibtreu's mind who's the right one for him when the Turkish girl sees him, holds his eyes and he asks if it is Juli, because by that point Juli is already the one he wants. The sun reference early on was nicely done as well. But it won't work with him if she tries to force it as he sees another girl with a sun first. They need to get to know each other first on their journey.

The supporting cast is decent too. I won't list the names, you can check the cast list for that, but a few of them have worked with Akin before or afterward (especially Bleibtreu several times) and most of them are at least familiar faces to those with an interest in German cinema. The pub brawl scene with Jochen Nickel (okay, now I named one) was one of my favorite scenes. The Russian criminal girl scenes, however, I did not like as much. All in all, I recommend this movie, even if its ending was as cheesy as expected. If you like it, take a look at "The Sure Thing" starring John Cusack. There's quite a few parallels.

As a whole, pretty lame

[jmatrixrenegade · 4/10 · 29 August 2010]

I'm somewhat surprised that so many people gave this movie such a great review. One person hated it.

There needs to be a happy medium here. On the whole, the film was pretty lame. Yes, it has a nice romantic ending. Fine. Lots of film have charming endings. I don't begrudge this. It also starts off well. It seemed to have potential for a nice romantic movie though even then it wouldn't be as funny as some seem to think it is I think for me the film went off the rails after he is thrown off the boat. I really don't understand what happened here, first off. They are sleeping need the water and he wakes up, tells her he will go for food. Some fisherman think he is trespassing or something and throws him into the water. But, and my companion said this too, isn't he still right near where he started? Why go on a long ride far away -- in a country where he doesn't know the language -- and leave Juli behind? The film then just got more and more dumb. An extended sequence where some somewhat crazy person robs him. He tries to get his money back but then is chased, though right after he accosts her, it is clear to someone else she is a thief. He hangs on top of her van in a high speed chase, she's stopped by a bunch of police but then he is able to drive away with the van somehow. He meets up with Juli again largely by chance and is able to cross a border by claiming to be married to her and giving the guard the stolen van. They then steal a car. These are both supposed to be nice people, mind you, but they just steal a car. Oh, later he is able to easily escape from prison. And so on.

I'm willing to suspend some belief, but this got to be too much. The film, again the person who watched it with me agreed, also simply isn't that funny. The fact various absurd things happen doesn't change this. We don't even get much time of the together. The scene where a trucker fakes getting fresh with him so that Daniel will fight with him is sweet though it seems to come a bit too early in the story. But, I don't think there was enough romance in the film either.

There are many road movies where two people fall in love, including American films like "The Sure Thing," which is how it should be done. This is somewhat enjoyable as a lark, but overall, it is not really well done at all. The leads are decent, though I like the woman better, but really, there aren't great either. Maybe, this is a culture thing, though again, I saw various European films, and liked them.

This simply isn't that good. It's okay, but apparently has a strong following among some people. One more thing -- some don't like the drug use. This is silly. The drug use amounts to one fairly cute (again, nothing overly special) scene where they share a marijuana cigarette, something he apparently never did before. The other scene involves his drink being spiked so that he could be robbed. That's it.

Das erste mal tat's noch weh...

[Stealth-5 · 9/10 · 13 January 2003]

Wow. What a great film. It's very continental and the plot never seems to fade away or go "Off Topic". Im not a huge fan of German Films, but this ladies and Gentlemen is a masterpiece coming from Hamburg. If only more films like these were made and more exploited. It displays a range of scenic views such as Bavaria, Istanbul, Budapest & Romania. Great cinematopgrahy, acting and story line.

9 out of 10.

Universal appeal - very good movie

[twin_ears · 8/10 · 8 June 2006]

This film is aided tremendously by the performances of its very charismatic stars, Moritz Bleibtreu and Christiane Paul. For a movie that relies on two people to carry it, it is imperative they appeal to the audience and, fortunately, both succeed. This German movie is everything a road trip movie should be: fun, surprising, unabashedly romantic, filled with well-developed characters and plot twists interesting enough to hold one's attention throughout. It is testament to the solid writing that we genuinely care about both of the main characters and like them so much that we simultaneously want them to attain their own desires as well as those we have chosen for them. I didn't really find any false steps in this movie and every time it seemed to venture into an undesirable area, it ended up advancing the plot in a positive way. No, it isn't terribly realistic, some of it seems contrived and in ways it is somewhat predictable. These faults are forgivable, however, because it is so well done. Another thing that sets this movie apart from the pack is that it is one German movie that does not actually attempt to deal with the country's Nazis past (for once). For me it has the added attractions that some of it was set in Hamburg, where I lived for a time, as well as being in German, which was my major in college. However, that is a personal preference and not everyone will find that terribly appealing. If road trips or romantic comedies are your bag, I recommend this one highly.

from hamburg to istanbul... a crazy ride to true love.

[israfel9 · 13 January 2003]

another beautiful christiane paul movie. searching for their sun, juli & daniel travel to istanbul, only to find what they were looking for is in each other. along the way they encounter: a corpse in a trunk; a beautiful but crazy hungarian woman; a romantic truck driver; the murky danube; and an angel named melek. i'm really beginning to love german movies. they give something essentially human that i find missing in most glossy hollywood films.

Another wonderful Romance

[tjk_sh_826 · 7/10 · 20 January 2005]

A romantic story happened in July,about a girl named also July,seeking his love towards Daniel Bannier(Moritz Bleibtreu) who was a school teacher and get the feeling at the first sight.July sold her strange ring to Daniel in order praying for a love and blessing herself falling in love with Daniel.

Each of us has the expectation on a romantic story could actually occurs to ourselves,like Daniel and July,even along with sharing the identical experience with the actors.Faith Akin cite a flashback as a beginning to take the audience into the movie,but filled with a little unbelievable coincidence.Daniel is a normal school teacher,but the things changed after met Melek(Idil Üner),who would come back to Turkey soon.Daniel was attracted by her and decided to go to Turkey to meet her again with a strong emotion begun with the destination from Hamburg to Istanbul.July love Daniel very much that makes the reason for becoming his travel accompanier.

Faith Akin reasonably arranged the long story between Daniel and July through the whole episode.We can easily get the conclusion of the Romance pix,both actor being a couple in the end,but the point of this kind of movie is the process,Faith Akin delivers his story by making an unbelievable trip across several borders that helps to pave the way for the couples,that's an another excellent and novel tactic used in the romance movie.I generally accept it.Rating(7/10)

Wonderful German take on the romantic comedy

[Bladerunner• · 8/10 · 19 April 2006]

It is very nice to see how a director from a country besides the U.S. creates a romantic comedy. This type of film isn't what one would expect from Germany, and perhaps that contributes to its charm. Certainly Christiane Paul who portrays the title's namesake is luminous. Every frame she is in, she lights up the screen. It has been said that they success of a romantic comedy depends on the audience falling in love with the main characters as they are falling in love on screen. If this is true, then both Christiane and Moritz Bleibtreu (who plays Daniel Bannier) do a marvelous job of seducing the audience, both are very likable and by the second reel you are cheering for them to be together.

The plot has the basic framework of a road movie/romantic comedy. Daniel is closed off and stuffy, and Juli is the free spirit who is his guide to individual freedom and expression. Daniel meets her at a street fair, and she immediately recognizes him as "the one" who is his destiny. She sells him a ring with the symbol of the sun that is supposed to unite him with his one true love who will also be wearing a solar symbol. Daniel doesn't know it at the time, but Juli has a tattoo of the sun on the small of her back. That night he meets a pretty young woman named Melek who is carrying a backpack bearing a picture of the sun. He takes this as a sign and pursues her. At drinks together she informs him that she is meeting someone under a well-known bridge in Istanbul. He is disappointed that she is meeting someone who she might be in love with, but after they part ways he decides to go to Istanbul and meet her under the bridge on the night of her meeting with this other man.

Meanwhile Juli, having seen Daniel and Melek together becomes depressed and decides to leave the city. As she stands at the crossroads of the highway, she says her goodbyes to her friend and states that she will go wherever the next ride takes her, no matter where they are going. Sure enough, Daniel stops for her and they begin their journey together. Along the way, Juli falls even further in love with Daniel even though he is on a quest to meet another woman. As they make their way, the usual kinds of twists and turns that one expects in a comedic road movie crop up: the car breaks down, they lose all their money and are forced to depend on the kindness of a quirky bunch of characters to complete their journey. All the while Daniel is learning to let go of the very tight grip he has on his life. As he loosens his hold his heart also opens to Juli, and when she leaves him to complete his odyssey alone (an act of unselfish love, and an indicator that Juli is learning lessons herself), he finally realizes that the girl he truly wanted was with him all the while.

Near the end of his trek he runs into the very girl he is going to Istanbul to meet and finds her very happy to see him. Here he must make a choice to stay with Melek, who obviously wants him to stay, or complete his adventure to the bridge where Juli may or may not be waiting for him. I'll leave you to find out the rest, but rest assured there will be no unhappy ending here.

As Hollywood tries to come up with increasingly improbable scenarios to breathe new life into the romantic comedy, German director Faith Akin follows a familiar path and allows the heart of these characters to draw us into the story. The exotic places they travel through becomes a separate character as well, and Akin allows the beauty and mystery of these locals to seduce as much as the main characters do.

The charm of this movie is in the reminder that humans the world over feel the same excitement and happiness when falling in love. Akin wisely relies on the desire each of us has to feel that love, and the delight of seeing others experience that joy as well. It will never grow boring watching two likable characters fall in love, especially when they are willing to fight, trek thousands of miles, and endure any hardship to be with the one they love. With In July, Akin spins a wonderful tale of love, growth and discovery. You won't go wrong spending a couple of hours with this film falling in love yourself.

Romantic Road Movie from northern to southern Europe

[Chris61 · 7/10 · 2 February 2003]

This Film is the evidence that a Road Movie in Europe can be as exciting as in US. Sometimes Tarantino, sometimes very romantic, the movie never gets boring and is full of surprises.

Weakness: The Plot is sometimes very constructed and not realistic and sometimes the plot is to predictable.

That rare thing, a truly charming modern romantic comedy

[runamokprods · 8/10 · 7 June 2010]

Faith Akin is one of the best and brightest directorial voices working in Europe today, and while this early film isn't quite as strong as his more recent masterpieces, it's still a sweet, funny and worthwhile love story. On the surface it's a very familiar romantic comedy plot – the misadventures of guy searching for girl he thinks he loves, while missing the fact that the perfect girl is right beside him. But it's so charming, with a fun, playful, inventive cinematic style, a great soundtrack, and terrific supporting characters that it's easy to forgive any clichés and a few moments of overacting. A film that will make you smile.

A Smile On Your Face

[big-red · 9/10 · 12 July 2003]

It was really surprising to see Moritz Bleibtreu drinking Turkish tea in the Turkish border, it was really amazing to see A+ acting from Turkish actors, it was really a NEW thing to watch a superior road trip movie..and the list goes on. If you want to leave the theatre with a smiling face, I suggest you to see this movie.The acting, image transitions, script, story narration and editing are just a few must see parts of Im Juli. Do not miss it!

This movie was the one of the worst i have ever seen(spoilers, but hey i'm not ruining a good movie)

[andreasalbertsen · 1/10 · 26 May 2003]

Im Juli , is a stupid, meningless lovestory. I've saw this movie some days ago, and it still anoys me. A stupid story of two persons driving trough europe, smoking joints and doing stupid things. Like trying to crossing a River in an old car. The whole things seems so stupid, with a thin dialog. A lot of scenes is without any idea, and some scenes are only confusing the audiens, instead of actually carrying the story forward. Also I hate the movie portraing every cop in eastern europe as corrupt and incompetent, that is so lame.

So this is a warning, do not watch this movie, unlees you are really really drunk, or really really high.

I only recommend it as use as torture, if anybody shows me this movie, I would tell them anything to make them stop.

So again don't watch it alone, or with other people.

Light hearted, original, entertaining

[tionfiul-1 · 9/10 · 2 January 2005]

Please, can someone at IMDb be more careful about which review gets displayed on the main details page of each film? It is simply not right to have to read someone's wrongfully deprecating comments just under the main details. Especially if the rest of the reviews are so obviously positive. Every film should be displayed with a comment that represents the opinion of the majority of viewers. If IMDb simply selects a random comment, a great film (like this) can be overlooked by someone who doesn't have the time to read the entire literature posted under "comments". As to this film, light, good-natured, new, original, funny, even if at times it finds refuge in the banal. Otherwise, a 9 out of ten.

A light hearted comedy

[jonesdennisr · 9/10 · 2 January 2005]

I have watched the movie twice. The first during the summer and the second on DVD. the movie is a good light hearted comedy. I recommend it for watching with really great friends. when I saw this in the theater in DC, I was with a close friend and she wanted to see something different... not heavy... we came out pf the theater laughing...and smiling. There were a few scenes in which we both laughed so hard that we fell out of our seats (we were watching the film in a small art house theater). The movie is not a 3 stooges film , for which I am extremely thankful. It is good to see a funny film from Germany that does;'t get into some knock on WWII. It shows great chemistry and relationship between disparate people, it also shows a Germany that i experienced, but most in America know nothing of.