I loved how gently laid out the tragedy is, the moments of humour many of which you feel you shouldn't be laughing at, the great performance by Bruno S. as Stroszek which catches a certain disconnect between him and the world around him and the ending which was truly brilliant. People call this an attack on the USA or at least the American Dream, though considering Stroszek's treatment in Berlin the real question is is there anywhere he could have been happy? Also dancing chickens.

A strangely engaging film. In the move from Germany to the US, the film sends Bruno from one prison to another--its telling that the opening shot is Bruno behind a set of bars. Throughout the film, Bruno remains the quintessential outsider, though he seems to understand more about his circumstances than do the people who can actually speak English. And of course, any movie that ends with a dancing chicken deserves all the praise it receives. Awesome.

Reportedly led Ian Curtis to suicide. I didn't think it was nearly that bad.

Depressing Herzog.

A sad, funny, bizarre movie. Bruno S. is such a unique actor. He's good here, but unlike Kasper Hauser, here his performance (if it can be called that) is just a bit "off." But then maybe that's the point. Either way the movie strikes all the right notes at the right times to make it quite unforgettable. That dancing chicken will never, ever leave my mind.

Herzog at the peak of his powers.

It's slowing movie poetry. It's observational and not profound. It's regular and without absurdity, but it's completely and undeniably human. Watching Stroszek is watching a man decay and it's harrowing to the utmost extreme. The best of the Bruno-Herzog collaborations, Stroszek is one of Herzog's simpler works, but it's also one of his more memorable, and the scene with the premature babies - Jesus, there's not much that can be said for how powerful and moving it is. Required viewing.

An unusual trio, headed by Bruno S. playing essentially himself, realize the American Dream isn't all it's cracked up to be. People read a critique of capitalism in this, but it seems to me Herzog is tackling broader ideas. Its tone is strange, stretching from comedic to tragic, but ultimately cynicism prevails as time and again Bruno's hopes are crushed. There is such a level of sincerity here that it almost feels like documentary, thanks to authentic performances and a spare sense of style.

An old man, a drunk and a beaten-down prostitute trade in their dead-end existence in Berlin for the boundless promise of...Wisconsin? But before long, the drunk and ex-prostitute both have respectable new jobs and a new mobile home. They've "made it". HaHa. Just kidding. Life in the US slowly erodes their misguided belief that better days lie ahead (Bruno's "fine print" speech is fantastic) as things quickly fall apart for all three. Can a farce also be emotionally devastating? Apparently, yes.

Strangely funny tear jerking story with great acting from nobodies, superb cinematography and a dancing chicken to end it all? Must be another masterpiece from Werner Herzog.

I wish there was more stuff with Clemens Scheitz, guy was awesome. Bruno S. wasn't as interesting to watch as a lot of people say, he was aight, nothing special (he's no Kinski). I was expecting more (PSI 97). I thought it was good but it just didn't blow me away.

Wonderful examination of the American dream as both an ideal and a harsh reality, told as only Herzog can, with bits of wry humour and an offbeat tone. The performances are very real and engage the viewer with the character even at a few places the pacing is on the slow side.

There's no reason to expect anything less than inspired lunacy from a Herzog movie, especially one made back in the 1970s when the rules of cinema were falling away like paint from a waterlogged wall. Herzog's examination of the travails of the downtrodden trying to forge better lives adds condemnation of the false promise of the American dream. He films it with an amused detachment; his affection for the off-kilter drives the film ever forward, growing more beautifully absurd at every turn.

Bleak, hopeless, and ultimately kinda boring film about immigration and the American dream. I love Herzog and was hoping to love this film, but I found myself looking at how long I had left every five minutes. The characters left me cold and the pacing was like molasses. However, I appreciate its style, with some experimental and compelling shots and love for the unconventional. It's worth watching if only just for the incredible ending.

Classic Herzog, so depressing Ian Curtis hung himself after seeing it. Bruno S makes me uneasy; you're never quite sure how much of it is acting and how much is, um, "outsider" art. But it's a beautifully made piece, the American dream built by people bringing all their old nightmares, opening up possibilities only to turn inward and shut them down again, and seeming to address exactly what irks me about it - how much of it is Stroszek's problem, and how much is society using him?

Depressing and bleak, yet not without moments of humor which only add to the strangeness. But at the same time it's very grounded, making it all the more heartbreaking as the cruelness of life continues. Herzog's direction is great and it makes it all feel very authentic. One hell of an ending, too.

92.250

An insane look into the delusions of the American dream that only Herzog could conjure up. Only he could end a film with such vivid, intoxicating imagery. The prevailing mood is like no other, and the way that it sways, whilst keeping the underlying tone is mystifying.

The dancing chicken is the one of the greatest endings in film history.

And maybe some day this baby will become Chancellor.

Overall Enjoyment: 0/40, Plot/Themes: 10/20, Cinematography/Direction: 15/20, Acting/Writing: 10/20 Werner Herzog movie about a man who moves to America for a better life only to find it doesn't fulfill his dreams. The plot and theme were well defined, but the movie itself was just plain boring. No character or scene was compelling and the movie failed at making me care about the character or his plight.

man i shouldn't have gotten stoned for the end of that movie. now i'm all sad.