Protraph Lack of good storyline.

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Loui Blair It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Rozinda There are two spoilers in this review. If you don't want hints, don't read this.I was hooked from start to finish, greatly moved. The young, badly abused and herself abusive girl with genius in her hands, and the old woman unwillingly discovering this aggressive young girl is a true prodigy and then doing everything she can to get that girl a chance. The conflict between the two over what kind of music is best. The hints that arise from this conflict about the past of the older woman. The irony of how that concert performance may finally be achieved. And somewhere in the movie, I won't say where, the most astonishing piece of music is played - so very exciting. I've twice seen particularly wonderful pieces of music performed within a movie, that is pieces I can remember that stand alone in their excellence whilst written as I understand it just for the movie. One is within Ladies of Lavender for the mysterious young violinist who seems to come from nowhere, the other for the young misfit in Vier Minuten.This movie is unrelentingly grim much of the time, but there is great beauty too and wonderful heartwarming moments. The moral seems to be that even people who appear to be vicious, abusive, murderous, completely lost causes, may contain the most amazing gifts if only someone else has the ability and then the willingness to draw them out. Would this girl ever escape from the emotional prison of her past and the physical prison of her present? I don't know but it would be nice to think she could.

riverbythesea I first saw Hannah Herzsprung in The Reader. It was a nice filler part. I saw her recently in The Baader-Meinhoff Komplex. It was a brief part, but very emotionally powerful. In Vier Minuten I found her performance astounding. It reminded me of Klaus Kinsi's performance in his Jesus Erloeser monologue. Hannah expresses a performance in Vier Minuten that completely makes me believe the frustration of a young woman permanently placed in prison. She has been convicted of murder. I was able to see the sorrow of being in that place, and found compassion for the circumstances. I did experience a sense of apprehension as I viewed the film. It comes down to the energy of the performance Hannah expresses. Don't take this film lightly. It is straight forward and brutally honest.

Doug Taylor An elderly spinster piano teacher in a womens prison,Mrs.Kruger, takes one of the inmates,Jenny,under her wing.The teacher loves music but can't connect with people.Jenny is young and absolutely gifted,but hates playing because it brings back a personal trauma from her past.The teacher tries to teach the student about respect,whilst the student reminds the teacher what it's like to be young and emotional.There are sub plots concerning both of their respective past personal lives but basically,it is just about two characters from vastly different generations and backgrounds who form an uneasy alliance in a harsh environment,and both of them benefit from the experience.Keep a box of tissues handy because the film is an emotional roller-coaster.I have no doubt that if they remade this in Hollywood with A-list stars, (which they probably eventually will),that it would clean up at the Oscars.But I guarantee that it would not be as good as this movie.Four Minutes (Vier Minuten) is actually about 110 minutes,and pretty much every one of them is worthy.A must see movie.

Claudio Carvalho In Germany, the elder Frau Traude Krueger (Monica Bleibtreu) gives piano classes in a prison for a few prisoners and the security guard Mütze (Sven Pippig). When she sees the rebel and aggressive Jenny Von Loeben (Hannah Herzsprung) playing piano, she immediately identifies her potential and offers to teach her for a competition. Frau Krueger finds that Jenny was a prodigy when she was a child; abused when she was a teenager and has been imprisoned for murdering and decapitating a man. Along the period they work together preparing for the exhibition, Frau Krueger discloses secrets about her love in World War II while the self-destructive Jenny has four minutes of glory and recognition of her talent."Vier Minuten" is another powerful and engaging German movie, disclosing the story of two women having nothing in common but their passion for music and tormented souls. The non-linear beginning is quite confused, but provocative and intriguing (I saw this movie on DVD and I watched the first chapters again to get a better understanding); however, after ten minutes, the story becomes intelligible with the development of the characters, supported by magnificent performances and wonderful cinematography. The story is deep and touching, and viewers that enjoy superficial Hollywoodian fairy tales may not like this dense drama developed in low-pace. Monica Bleibtreu and the lovely Hannah Herzsprung have top-notch performances that deserved nomination to the Oscar. The conclusion is thrilling and heartbreaking, and will probably make the eyes of sensitive viewers wet. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Quatro Minutos" ("Four Minutes")