Swing Kids | Rotten Tomatoes

Swing Kids

PG-13

Released Mar 5, 1993

1 hr. 52 min.

Drama

List

56%

18 Reviews

Tomatometer

79%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

American big-band jazz beats in the hearts of young German friends (Robert Sean Leonard, Christian Bale, Frank Whaley) confronted by the Nazis.

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A new group of teenagers formed once the Nazi party started to envelop Europe during the 1930s In particular we focus on 1939 in Hamburg on two best friends Peter and Thomas played by Robert Sean Leonard and a young Christian Bale The country is overrun by the Der Fuher and they expect absolute obedience from all citizens But living a double life for Peter and Thomas proves to be challenging as it affects their friends and family This actually has some historical background since it was a real group of German teens that enjoyed American and British pop culture, as a result they hung out in secret underground clubs dancing to swing music Even the music sold at stores had to be approved by the Nazi officials or be banned It's tough seeing one of the biggest groups in history year their own country apart; some believe in the cause others see it as slowly taking over and changing everything so rapidly like a form of surrendering and self-control It's also horrifying learning what a social movement party like this is capable of until it's too late The movie is a bit ridiculous at certain points plus it's not a happy history lesson Those who defied the order were sent to work camps or serve in the army ending up dead Yet a new wave of Swing Kids continued to grow to see the Nazis defeated in the end Director Thomas Carter makes a bleak look at human history while still having the passion and anguish of free spirits caught in a crushing world A split down the middle of a movie but effective

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/06/24

Full Review

Shannon S

Bale in yet another display of insane talent , he can dance the pants off anyone in Hollywood

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/18/23

Full Review

Ben N

This movie should be seen by American and European youth today - for the great acting and swing music, but more for the warning about what happens when you 'go along to get along' and when you listen to leaders who place blame for societal ills on a few select groups of people; as if "they" are out to get you.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A new group of teenagers formed once the Nazi party started to envelop Europe during the 1930s In particular we focus on 1939 in Hamburg on two best friends Peter and Thomas played by Robert Sean Leonard and a young Christian Bale The country is overrun by the Der Fuher and they expect absolute obedience from all citizens But living a double life for Peter and Thomas proves to be challenging as it affects their friends and family This actually has some historical background since it was a real group of German teens that enjoyed American and British pop culture, as a result they hung out in secret underground clubs dancing to swing music Even the music sold at stores had to be approved by the Nazi officials or be banned It's tough seeing one of the biggest groups in history year their own country apart; some believe in the cause others see it as slowly taking over and changing everything so rapidly like a form of surrendering and self-control It's also horrifying learning what a social movement party like this is capable of until it's too late The movie is a bit ridiculous at certain points plus it's not a happy history lesson Those who defied the order were sent to work camps or serve in the army ending up dead Yet a new wave of Swing Kids continued to grow to see the Nazis defeated in the end Director Thomas Carter makes a bleak look at human history while still having the passion and anguish of free spirits caught in a crushing world A split down the middle of a movie but effective

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

good story line, pretty good acting, great scenery, good character development.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/18/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Teens have been rebellious for all of time, apparently. The "swing kids" in the movie are German teens between the ages of 14-18 who grow their hair out long and go out dancing all night in swing clubs and live by their motto: "Swing Heil". Obviously teens being rebellious is dangerous enough but the swing kids are engaging in the celebration of American culture, even much of the music they listen to being recorded by African-American and Jewish artists. You understand where I'm going with this. It is very dangerous but they're teenagers and have to have what they're told they can't. So let's get into this: Our two leads, friends Thomas (a young Christian Bale) and Peter (a young Robert Sean Leonard), are members of the swing kid group and are later forced to join the Hitler-Jungen ("Hitler's Youth" or "Hitler's Boys" in English) and being teenagers they comply but at night still continue to sneak out to go dancing. Let's just say this doesn't turn out well, for anyone. Thomas begins to enjoy the feeling of the swastika on his arm and Peter begins to question his own morals as well as his friends. There's a quite incredible scene shared by the two toward the climax of the film where they get into a heated argument over those said morals. It's really interesting to me to really see what that program did to kids. Thomas was only there because he had to be and was getting into fights and mocking the Nazis early in the film, only to become one in the end. The friendship between is probably the strongest part of the movie. The second being the gorgeous choreography. I don't know, maybe it's the musical theatre nerd in me but I'm just a sucker for a good dance sequence. And this movie has plenty! Now here comes the part of the show where I address all the problems and in all honesty, I was surprised at the amount of hate this film received. It even made it on legendary critic Roger Ebert's most hated movies list. Let me say it right now, this movie is not bad. Maybe it's not the best, maybe you don't like it, but I'm still quite confused as to why it's hated as much as it is. The biggest problem I hear with it (besides the lackluster script) was that it was too tame. It does feature characters getting beaten up badly (you do see blood for those scenes) and characters dying, one character must even deliver the cremated ashes of those who were considered enemies of the state door to door! It is PG-13 and would've received an R rating had it been as gruesome as many critic's wanted. But it's not really about the Holocaust. It's a story about expression and trying to survive and stay true in a world where that's virtually impossible to do. And that is one of the strengths of the movie Usually missed opportunity films leave me feeling cheated out of my money or just plain miserable or frustrated. Some even make me wonder why I ever watched movies and make me ashamed that I watch/review them in my spare time. This one is interesting. Question of the day that usually determines how I rank movies: will I watch it again? I...don't know. Knowing myself, I probably would, mostly for the swing sequences. Verdict: I don't think this movie was very bad, nor was it very good. I liked it unironically which should mean it's good, right? I actually don't really know. Ah, well, I thought it was all right. It's still a riveting and interesting story that I'm glad I've seen. It earns itself a solid seven out of ten. Think I might as well give it that.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

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Thomas Carter

Director

Robert Sean Leonard

Peter Müller

Christian Bale

Thomas Berger

Frank Whaley

Arvid

Barbara Hershey

Frau Müller

Kenneth Branagh

Herr Knopp

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Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

If it seems that kitsch of this kind is a less than ideal way to teach history, it's still infinitely preferable to Reagan's Bitburg pieties.

Feb 21, 2020

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B-

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

There are moments here where the movie seems to believe Hitler was bad, not because he mapped genocidal madness, but because he wouldn't let the Swing Kids dance all night.

Rated: 1/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Sergio Benítez

Espinof

A film that, in the end, stands as the best overall quality of the proposal. [Full Review in Spanish]

Jul 26, 2019

Full Review

Vanessa Letts

The Spectator

Despite the film's overall ridiculousness, however, the choreography and music by Cab Calloway and Django Reinhardt is brilliant.

Jul 24, 2018

Full Review

Malcolm Johnson

Hartford Courant

Like the films of the '30s and '40s it pays homage to, this portrait of jazz-crazy teenagers in Nazi Germany brims with the passion and anguish of free spirits caught in a crushing world they never made.

Jun 6, 2018

Full Review

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Synopsis

American big-band jazz beats in the hearts of young German friends (Robert Sean Leonard, Christian Bale, Frank Whaley) confronted by the Nazis.

Director: Thomas Carter
Production Co: Hollywood Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 5, 1993, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $5.4M
Sound Mix: Surround, Stereo

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