"Le jeune Karl Marx" is a co-production between France, Germany and Belgium that resulted in a German-language movie with some parts in French and English too because of the actors' nationalities, but also because of the countries where the film plays. It runs for almost two hours and as the title already says it focuses on the younger years of German philosopher Karl Marx. The director is Raoul Peck and he is also one of the writers here. I guess his origin and native language is also the main reason (just like other writers' nationalities) why this film is listed in the French language here on IMDb. Peck himself was just nominated for the first time for an Oscar in the documentary category (for a pretty controversial movie) after a filmmaking career of almost 35 years now and this will probably get his future works more attention, maybe also in Hollywood. But now let us take a look at this one here. The cast includes some names that German film buffs will probably recognize, but not too many either, such as Diehl and Scheer. Even Diehl's co-lead Konarske was pretty unknown to me. But he did his job well and held his own nicely next to Diehl, who certainly gives the most commanding performance in the film. It is not a coincidence that this film's name is "The young Karl Marx" and not "The Young Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels".

I have really liked Diehl for a long time now and it's nice to see him add another impressive performance to his body of work. He has been in some strong German films, but also appeared in Hollywood stuff. It is a bit sad that he has not managed yet to get beyond playing Angelina Jolie's character's husband or a Nazi commander in a one-scene performance in a Tarantino movie, even if he managed to be somewhat memorable in these parts too. He seems so natural at what he does and always disappears in character. Makes me a bit sad to see far more limited actors like Schweiger, Brühl, Schweighöfer, maybe even Waltz, get much more attention in Hollywood. But as long as Diehl keeps making films like this one here as well in the future, it's all good. I personally must say that 19th century politics never really interested me at all, back from my school days, but Peck and Diehl and the rest made it not only very watchable, but pretty exciting and interesting. The key to success here may be that the focus was really on the two central characters and their lives (private and public), and did not try oh so hard to make a political impact and be really important and relevant, i.e. full of himself. It is all about the simplicity of a strong story well-told as Frances McDormand said so fittingly. The only reason why I did not give it an even higher rating is probably that I always cared for for 20th century politics, but I learned a lot while watching this one here and that is certainly a strong achievement. The film also never drags during its almost two hours. Any criticisms really? Not that much. I found the song of the closing credits and the scenes not a good choice as the film should have been staying in the 19th century and it did not really fit. Jumping ahead a century in time roughly was too much, even if the scenes of course had a lot to do with communism. As a whole, a pretty good work and everybody who knows and cares about 19th century politics and communism must see it.

Greetings again from the darkness. When the name Karl Marx comes up, most of us recall that iconic photo of the older gentleman with the large grey beard. As with all older gents, they were once young men, and that's the focus of this film from writer/director Raoul Peck and co-writer Pascal Bonitzer.

The story kicks off in 1843 when young Marx was the editor of "Rheinische Zeitung" and carries us through the 1848 publication of "The Communist Manifesto". We progress chronologically through Paris, Brussels and London and witness how Marx's personal life and ideological mission intertwined, leading ultimately to the birth of Communism.

August Diehl (INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS) plays Karl Marx and Stefan Konarske plays Friedrich Engels. Their mutual admiration brought them together and their commitment, along with the support of their wives Jenny Marx (Vicky Krieps, PHANTOM THREAD) and Mary Burns (Hannah Steele), carried them through and cemented their legacies.

With the endless string of debates and discussion, and the constant struggle with poverty for Marx and his family, the film at times seems repetitive and tedious. It does, however, succeed in making comprehensible the timeline and constant struggle to continue the fight. The process of societal-changing writing is not simple, and we see the different approaches taken by Marx and the upper-crust rebel Engels. The obvious battle between Bourgeoisie and Proletariat remains at the forefront, but we also witness the painstaking networking and research that goes into the work. The two gentlemen share a drink over this toast: "to minds that truly think".

Today, many in their 20's, are focused on which direction to swipe, yet at the same age, Marx and Engels were committed to changing the world. The ideals and issues that so dominated their writings (and led to revolution) are every bit as relevant today. We no longer use the terms Bourgeoisie or Proletariat, but class distinction continues to be debated as a source of many global issues - both social and economic. Director Peck (Oscar nominated for last year's I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO) uses Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" over the closing credits montage of revolutions and historic turning points to ensure we understand that rebellions and convictions do still exist.

Peck's film follows appealingly prickly young Marx and Engels from their early insistence on the hard truths of class-conflict against the utopian socialists of their day, to the founding of the first workers' international with a program of anti-capitalist struggle, the Communist Manifesto. Only a profit-system triumphalist would resist cheering them on along with the galvanized, wretched workers of 1848. The contrasting constraints on their activist mates, the high-born Jenny Marx and worker Mary Burns, raise still-pressing issues, and the situation of Engels, the revolutionary intellectual who must finance the cause by working for the enemy, may resonate with professionals today.

But the movie, concluding with a montage of wars and protests churned up by the profit system in the present, feels frustrating and incomplete - inevitably so. It doesn't show the collective hero of Marx and Engels' vision, the world working class. This class, that produces all, is now ever more interlinked and technically advanced. But its political development hasn't caught up with material conditions that never existed in previous challenges to capitalism. The decisive fight against the old system for humanity's future has yet to be waged, its film still to be made. R. Freed