Customer Reviews
As good as I remember it, and slightly better now that I'm older and understand some of the references. 
2008-06-19
Swing Kids has always been a favorite movie of mine, since I first saw it in college. Seeing it again after having been in the music business for 8 years, many of the musical references and jokes are clearer to me now and made the movie that much better. Musician or not, I highly recommend renting/buying this flick.
Good Movie 2008-06-07
I bought this movie because I like swing dancing. It was a really good movie I really enjoyed it.
I'm not gonna lie... I LOVE this movie. 2008-04-24
Yeah, the premise sounds weird. Nazi Germany + teens into swing music/culture = WTF? But, it's a tragic story of friends torn apart by an oppressive government. Robert Sean Leonard and Christian Bale are both wonderful.
One of my favorites! 2008-03-21
Excellent film with some history, some fun dancing and some serious tear jerking...The music and dancing is amazing in this film but the story is really powerful too!
A Swinging Good Time 
2008-02-13
This movie is amazing. Robert Sean Leonard and Christian Bale give amazing performances. The storyline is really powerful with messages that go beyond the WWII era. I first watched this movie in a German class, but bought it really soon afterwards... it's extremely powerful.
Not fantastic, but has some good elements 
2007-12-27
In 1939, Nazi Germany declares war on freedom and demands conformity from its youth. But a group calling themselves Swing Kids rebel with their "swing music" from America. When two of them dare to stand up against the powerful forces around them -- traditions will be broken and loyalties must be crossed! Robert Sean Leonard (DEAD POETS SOCIETY) and Christian Bale (SHAFT, AMERICAN PSYCHO) deliver gripping performances as two friends who must choose between their individual freedom or loyalty to the murderous Third Reich. Also featuring screen favorite Barbara Hershey (BEACHES, TIN MEN), SWING KIDS is an inspirational and powerful story about friendship -- and finding the courage to fight for what you believe in!
Great Movie 2007-12-01
I saw "Swing Kids" for the first time, just a few weeks ago. I came here to buy it, and read some of the reviews. Nobody seemed to have seen what I did, the "bottom line" of the movie. Robert Sean Leonard, as Peter, plays a young man forced into the Hitler youth. His friend joins him. The friend soon sees the "benefits" of the Hitler youth, but the more Peter sees, the more he is sure that he wants no part of it. I watched this movie at a time when my own son was having difficulty with kids at school, and I was able to come up with a solution...Stand up for what you believe in, for what you know is right. This is what Peter did, and although he is hauled away in the end, it is hopeful that his non-allegiance to Hitler is passed on to his young brother, and that the torch is carried on from person to person standing up to their beliefs that Hitler was wrong.
Besides, who can NOT Love Robert Sean Leonard?
True story, phoney drama 2007-11-13
Swing Kids isn't as bad as its reputation implies by a long shot, but it's too riddled with compromise to really work. The Nazis' vicious repression of jazz and swing music is a great story crying out to be told, but Disney really wasn't the studio to tell it. Hints of a better film abound and it does edge into some dark corners, but the need for an upbeat ending to a downbeat story does the film few favors, and nor does the fact that the period jive and dancing tend to sound and look very silly indeed far too often - certainly Robert Sean Leonard's angst-ridden solo dance of rebellion at the end is an unintentional comic highlight.
FRIENDSHIP, LOYALTY, BETRAYAL AND SWING! 2007-11-07
like its original soundtrack, "swing kids" is a fine example of a movie replete with swing music, swing moves and swing kids...
it tells the story of four friends caught in the middle of world war II. only in their teens, these friends were forced to choose between loyalty to their government and frindship. they are forced to face situations unbreable for their age. luckily, there was the american swing music they could count on. but alas, even that was banned by hitler and mused nationality among the young germans. forced to go underground, these rebels called themselves swing kids in protest to what is happening around them.
the story revolved around four friends who had to make a difficult choice - enjoy swing music or be one of hitler's followers. what ensued was the most dramatic scenes strongly molded on friendship - a sensitive subject.
the situations presented were so real, the acting was excellent (christian bale and robert sean leonard) that you could actually feel what they are talking about. even the supporting cast, barbara hershey and kenneth branagh in uncredited role were superb.
the music by james horner (pre-titanic) is also good. but one of the real stars of the show was the swing music draped all over the movie.
i bought a lot of swing cd's that time because of this movie before i got the original soundtrack. whew, i felt good watching the movie and listening to the music...
buy it if you are interested in swing music or a movie on friendship and bits and pieces of world war II atrocities.
this is one great movie...
Great Tale of Good Youthful Rebellion 2007-10-15
Sometimes it's all right to rebel. Even if it means you die! I loved this movie. Great acting, powerful imagery. Good dancing. It's sad a whole generation of young people were forced into conforming to something so evil.
