System Crasher

Name: System Crasher
Genre: Drama
Released: February 21, 2020
Duration: 125 min
Rating: 89
Cast: Albrecht Schuch, Gabriela Maria Schmeide, Helena Zengel, Lisa Hagmeister, Louis von Klipstein

2020

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 6 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

See All

7.7

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.7	Your Score
7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Movie Details & Credits

Netflix | Release Date: February 21, 2020 | Not Rated

Starring: Albrecht Schuch, Gabriela Maria Schmeide, Helena Zengel, Lisa Hagmeister, Louis von Klipstein, Maryam Zaree, Matthias Brenner, Melanie Straub, Tedros Teclebrhan, Victoria Trauttmansdorff

Summary: On her wild quest for love, 9-year-old Benni's untamed energy drives everyone around her to despair.

Director: Nora Fingscheidt

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 125 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Tara Brady

Apr 2, 2020

This is a wildly impressive first narrative feature, powered along by a strong cast, great chemistry, virtuoso flourishes, and fierce energy. Read full review

100

The Observer (UK) Wendy Ide

Mar 31, 2020

Most essential is the central performance: Zengel’s oscillating wild joys and storming furies are painful to watch. A moment when she howls for her mother (always tantalisingly out of reach) brought me to tears. Read full review

Tom Duggins

Mar 31, 2020

System Crasher is the outstanding feature film debut of German director Nora Fingscheidt. A tremendous slice of life filled with light and energy, which doesn’t shy away from the tough realities of what social care is like for children with severe developmental issues. Read full review

Hanna Flint

Feb 14, 2022

System Crasher may veer towards being over-sympathetic in its approach to its violently problematic protagonist – Benni is a wrecking ball at times – but it delivers a powerful exposé of the limitations of the foster system. And with its impressive young star to the fore, it is heartbreakingly intimate. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Mar 31, 2020

A grisly, gripping watch. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Apr 2, 2020

Zengel is a balled-up fist of energy in the title role, getting across the sweetness that can convince those who take pity on Benni that “she’s making progress,” but unleashing hell in a flash to remind them she isn’t. Read full review

SEE ALL 6 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

CLeCrom

Jan 9, 2021

Impossible to emerge unscathed from this movie, a moment often unbearable. How could you have made a little girl play that? Overwhelming.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JLuis_001

Apr 21, 2021

There's a better story buried in what this failed, but decent movie ends up proposing.

The plot is efficient because of young Helena Zengel's wonderful performance, but this plot also suffers from an excessive and misguided idealism. It's one thing for you to believe in the situation posedThere's a better story buried in what this failed, but decent movie ends up proposing.

The plot is efficient because of young Helena Zengel's wonderful performance, but this plot also suffers from an excessive and misguided idealism.

It's one thing for you to believe in the situation posed by the narrative, and quite another to understand that this girl needs some kind of medication instead of a therapy like the one we see being applied to her.

Because this movie certainly points to that girl's desire for liberation, but for her to be loose in the world like that, it's not a positive thing for her in any way, because there's no question that you have to admit it - and the movie does, slightly though - that there are other more serious difficulties to consider.

System Crasher is an stimulating movie that doesn't fit all of its pieces together, but it does raise interesting questions about the system and its blatant inability to handle cases like these.
Because how many children like this were, and are lost in it?… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 2 REVIEWS