Common Sense Media Review
By Marty Brown
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
German crime series features extreme violence, sex, drugs.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
4 Blocks
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
The title 4 Blocks refers to the Hamady crime family's territory in Berlin. Cartel head Ali "Toni" Hamady is looking to move into legitimate business when his brother-in-law is caught with nine kilos of cocaine in his car. Forced to stick around, Toni is torn between his desire to get out of the business and the pressure to succeed and take care of the rest of the cartel, including his brother, Abbas, a loose cannon who wants to take over.
Is It Any Good?
Featuring a Muslim family in the main roles is unique, but 4 Blocks is otherwise a completely by-the-book organized crime story. Good organized crime films and television tend to be as much about family and culture, especially immigrant culture, as they are about crime. That's clearly what 4 Blocks is aiming for in its focus on the Lebanese Hamady family's struggles in Berlin. However, the extreme violence, drug trafficking montages, and strip club scenes all feel mundane and routine, as if meant to appeal to fans of The Sopranos who just want something to put on while they fall asleep. Missing an opportunity to portray an underrepresented culture, this series instead feels like it's just running through a checklist of what's expected from an organized crime story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Hamady family. How do they relate to one another? Do they draw any distinctions between their lives as criminals and their personal lives? If so, what are they? What are the Hamady family's values?
How do the Hamadys feel about Berlin and Germany? How do they see their status within the Berlin community? How does this affect their actions? How do they feel about other members of the community?
Are there differences between this German organized crime show and similar American ones? What are they? How does focusing on a Muslim family change the scope of the series?
TV Details
- Premiere date : May 8, 2017
- Cast : Kida Khodr Ramadan , Frederick Lau , Veysel Gelin
- Network : Max
- Genre : Drama
- TV rating :
- Last updated : February 8, 2021
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