Summer Storm (Sommersturm) (2004)

48% of critics liked it
(31 reviews)
79% of users liked it
(6,642 ratings)

A confident teen rowing team faces an unexpected challenge -- both in and out of the water -- in this coming-of-age comedy drama. Summer Storm primarily concerns the angsty Tobi (Robert Stadlober), a high-school oarsman whose finds his intimate friendship with charismatic teammate Achim (Kostja… More A confident teen rowing team faces an unexpected challenge -- both in and out of the water -- in this coming-of-age comedy drama. Summer Storm primarily concerns the angsty Tobi (Robert Stadlober), a high-school oarsman whose finds his intimate friendship with charismatic teammate Achim (Kostja Ullmann) threatened as Achim gets more serious with his girlfriend. Tobi's situation is complicated when he and the boys leave for rowing camp for the summer: there, the headstrong team is introduced to The Queerstrokes, a champion team of out-and-proud gay teen athletes. Some of the boys are fine with their new opponents, some are blatantly homophobic, and others -- Tobi included -- find their already shaky notions of heterosexuality threatened. Tensions rise in the days building up to the big competition, and Tobi struggles to come to terms with what his true desires are. Summer Storm had its North American premiere at the 2004 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 38 min.
Directed By: Marco Kreuzpaintner
Genres: Drama, Romance, Art House & International, Sports & Fitness, Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 17, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Sep 5, 2006
Studio: Regent Releasing

Critic Reviews

Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle
Its coming-of-age yarn goes nowhere beyond inevitably out of a closet.
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
It's sunny and frothy, with odd laugh-out-loud moments.
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
This gay coming-of-age film from Germany ultimately has few original aspects, but it is an intelligently wrought drama that makes it a respectable entry in the genre.
Steve Murray, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
While it has little in it that hasn't been covered by other coming-out movies, it's pleasant enough.
Jan Stuart, Newsday
Kreutzpainter limns his multifarious characters with an amiable, unforced humor and an authentic feel for the ways in which good kids respond to peer pressure with less-than-admirable behavior.
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News
Equal parts earnest and endearing, Bavarian director Marco Kreuzpaintner's gay romance tackles its adolescent heartaches with unusual compassion.
Don Willmott, Filmcritic.com
Don't let the trailer mislead you. Summer Storm is not some sort of supersexy European art film. It's kids being kids, and you've outgrown summer camp.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Of use to no one, except perhaps for boys hoping to show (rather than tell) their parents that they like other boys.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
Kreuzpaintner junks up this simple gay coming-of-age story with too many subplots and sitcomlike situations.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
There are at least a couple of disparate movies fighting for control in Summer Storm.
Laura Kelly, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Humor, toned bods, a mellow soundtrack and far too much predictability are the highlights and lowlight of Summer Storm.
John Hartl, Seattle Times
Stadlober, a young Austrian actor cast in the leading role, is charming enough to survive most of the movie's labored attempts to lighten up.
Bill White, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Recommended for its endearing performances, captivating locations and a poppy soundtrack that amiably underscores the bubbly sensuality of a summer in the sun.
David Elliott, San Diego Union-Tribune
'Coming out' films are now rituals, patterned like dances, and Marco Kreuzpaintner's Summer Storm hits its generic marks.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

William G

Irritatingly simple-minded gay coming-of-age story.
Sunil J

This sweet gay German film has some great music and some really tender moments.
Lauren D

I hate romance movies. BUT I love gay romance. I have no idea why and so in July of 2008 I just watched a lot of gay romance movies because they are so damn awesome. They are the only kind of romance movies in which I want the characters to get together. So anyway, although the main… More
I hate romance movies. BUT I love gay romance. I have no idea why and so in July of 2008 I just watched a lot of gay romance movies because they are so damn awesome. They are the only kind of romance movies in which I want the characters to get together. So anyway, although the main guy was ugly and looked like Brad Greenquist (Pascal from Pet Sematary) I still enjoyed it. For some reason in every gay movie I watched one of the guys would be extremely ugly and the other... not. Um... so it was kind of funny and ok, but I wanted Tobi and Achim to get together (like I said I always want happy endings in gay romance and unhappy endings in hetero romance, and I'm a straight female... go figure).
Leo L

Great movie! Great music.
Ina S

Wonderful coming-of-age film.