Fußball ist unser Leben
Encyclopedia
Fußball ist unser Leben (German for "football is our life") is a German
football(soccer) drama/comedy movie, centering around supporters of FC Schalke 04
. It was directed by Tommy Wiegand, with Uwe Ochsenknecht
and Ralf Richter
in the main roles.
One day, Pollak decides to bet his house that Di Ospeo will score in the next game. He is shocked to see that his idol is addicted to cocaine
, abducts him and chains him into his room to make him quit cold turkey
. Then, Pollak's neglected girlfriend has an affair and Pollak's mother dies of a coronary; Di Ospeo has tried to rescue her but could not reach her because he was shackled. Desperate Pollak decides to hang himself so that his family — he assumes that his house is lost — will at least get his life insurance. But his friends save him from the gallows with a Schalke flag, and a rehabilitated Di Ospeo scores the winning goal in the next game. Having won the bet after all, Pollak keeps his house and makes up with his girlfriend.
, coach Huub Stevens
, player Yves Eigenrauch, masseur Charly Neumann and ex-coach Helmut Schulte have cameos, just like prominent fans like reporter Ulrich Potofski, radio commentator Manfred Breuckmann and disc jocked Dirk Oberschulte-Beckmann.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
football(soccer) drama/comedy movie, centering around supporters of FC Schalke 04
FC Schalke 04
Fußball-Club Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04, commonly known as simply FC Schalke 04 or Schalke , is a German, association-football club originally from the Schalke district of Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. Schalke has long been one of the most popular football teams in Germany, even though major...
. It was directed by Tommy Wiegand, with Uwe Ochsenknecht
Uwe Ochsenknecht
Uwe Adam Ochsenknecht is a German actor and singer.-Work:Films Uwe Ochsenknecht has starred in include Schtonk!, Das Boot and the TV miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune.-Personal life:...
and Ralf Richter
Ralf Richter
Ralf Richter is a German actor. He debuted as the crude sailor "Frenssen" in the Academy Award nominated 1981 film Das Boot and frequently appeared in German TV series...
in the main roles.
Plot
Hans Pollak (Ochsenknecht) is a hard core fan of Schalke 04. Together with his best friend Mike (Richter), he is member of the fanclub "Dios Knappen Gelsenkirchen", named after their idol, the (fictional) Schalke star player Pablo Di Ospeo (Oscar Sanchez). Pollak is so single-minded that he neglects the birth of his second child to watch his favorite club, and takes his family and girlfriend (Marita Marschall) for granted.One day, Pollak decides to bet his house that Di Ospeo will score in the next game. He is shocked to see that his idol is addicted to cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, abducts him and chains him into his room to make him quit cold turkey
Cold turkey
"Cold turkey" describes the actions of a person who abruptly gives up a habit or addiction rather than gradually easing the process through gradual reduction or by using replacement medication....
. Then, Pollak's neglected girlfriend has an affair and Pollak's mother dies of a coronary; Di Ospeo has tried to rescue her but could not reach her because he was shackled. Desperate Pollak decides to hang himself so that his family — he assumes that his house is lost — will at least get his life insurance. But his friends save him from the gallows with a Schalke flag, and a rehabilitated Di Ospeo scores the winning goal in the next game. Having won the bet after all, Pollak keeps his house and makes up with his girlfriend.
Guest roles
Many persons related to Schalke 04 have guest roles. Manager Rudi AssauerRudi Assauer
Rudolf "Rudi" Assauer is a former German football manager and former player. Due to his habit of smoking a great number of cigars, he has been given the nickname "Stumpen-Rudi", or "Cheroot Rudi"....
, coach Huub Stevens
Huub Stevens
Hubertus "Huub" Jozef Margaretha Stevens is a Dutch football manager and former defender.- Playing career :...
, player Yves Eigenrauch, masseur Charly Neumann and ex-coach Helmut Schulte have cameos, just like prominent fans like reporter Ulrich Potofski, radio commentator Manfred Breuckmann and disc jocked Dirk Oberschulte-Beckmann.
Awards
- Bavarian Film Awards: Uwe Ochsenknecht (best actor) und Marita Marschall (best supporting actress)
- German Film AwardsDeutscher FilmpreisThe Deutscher Filmpreis is the highest German movie award. From 1951 to 2004 it was awarded by a commission, since 2005 the award has been given by the Deutsche Filmakademie...
: Uwe Ochsenknecht (best actor)