Die wilden Hühner und die Liebe (2007)

The girls’ gang, the Wild Chicks—Sprotte, Frieda, Trude, Wilma, and Melanie—are already familiar from the first film, The Wild Chicks. Whereas they used to argue with the Pygmies (Fred, Torte, Steve, and Willi), they have since been through several adventures together, and their former rivalry has turned into a friendly relationship. The Chicks and the Pygmies experience love’s twists and turns. Sprotte and Fred could be happy together if it weren’t for Sprotte’s constant jealousy. Frieda, meanwhile, sees her boyfriend Maik at best on weekends, since he lives at a riding stable 200 kilometers away. Melanie is unhappy about her breakup with Willi, who left her for Nana, a girl three years older than he is. At first, only Trude and the quarrelsome Wilma seem to be left out. But preparations for the school’s big production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, along with the upcoming party at the Pygmies’ place, leave them little time to enjoy life’s pleasures. To top it all off, Sprotte’s mother is planning to marry the Know-It-All, as Sprotte calls her mother’s boyfriend. Before that can happen, Sprotte’s father suddenly turns up, thoroughly unsettling both mother and daughter. He left the family when Sprotte was still a baby, and now Sprotte learns that all this time he has been in touch with Grandma Slättberg, has lived in the same city—practically around the corner—and is a sought-after photographer. But before they can get to know each other better, he has to leave for a lengthy assignment abroad. Sprotte’s jealousy reaches a new high when Fred turns down her offer to study for their English test with the Know-It-All and instead chooses to study with Willi’s pretty girlfriend, Nana. Melanie strains the Chicks’ friendship to the limit when she makes advances toward a few macho motorcycle-riding guys from an upper grade. Finally, Sprotte and Frieda find out that Wilma is in love after all—with a girl from the theater group! When the other Chicks learn about it, Melanie immediately demands that Wilma be kicked out of the gang and leaves the gang herself when they refuse. Wilma is devastated and offers to leave the gang of her own accord, but Sprotte, Frieda, and Trude vehemently refuse. The tense situation comes to a head at the Pygmies’ party. While Sprotte gives Fred the cold shoulder out of jealousy, Trude, of all people, finds an admirer in Steve’s Spanish cousin Ramon. But then Melanie shows up with her new companions, who liven up the previously peaceful party and end up bringing it to a halt. A wild brawl breaks out, and by the end of it Melanie realizes what she has caused and runs away. Willi alone goes after her, leaving Nana by herself at the party. At least Sprotte and Fred manage to make up after all the confusion. The next day, advertising posters for the school production are defaced all over the school with the words “Wilma & Leonie’s Love Dream,” making Wilma feel even more isolated than before—especially since she absolutely does not want her parents to find out that she is gay. She would rather leave the theater group, which would doom the entire production to failure. It is Melanie, of all people, who sets things right. When she arranges a “chance” meeting between herself and the other Wild Chicks, she casually mentions that she might move to Würzburg to live with her father and would quite like to visit the Chicks at their caravan one more time. She is not only allowed to visit the feathered fowl, but is also made to understand that the two-legged Chicks would be very sad if she moved to Würzburg. While Melanie is with the Chicks, Frieda suddenly turns up at the caravan because she wanted to check once more where in the “gang book” it says that the Wild Chicks are only allowed to fall in love with boys. Melanie then goes to Wilma on her own to sincerely apologize for her bad behavior. She also persuades Wilma to return to the play, saving the school production. Reunited, they work together toward the high point of the school year. With help from the Know-It-All, who had initially withdrawn after Sprotte’s father appeared but then started visiting Sprotte’s mother regularly again, the vandals who wanted to sabotage Wilma’s performance are dealt with, and the school production is a great success. Soon everything seems to be back to normal: Melanie is ceremonially welcomed back into the Wild Chicks, Sybille and the Know-It-All let their ambiguous relationship continue to muddle along, Sprotte is together with Fred, and Frieda and Maik continue their long-distance relationship, as do Trude and Ramon. Willi starts seeing Melanie again (though malicious tongues suspect that Willi is still seeing Nana, too), and after Leonie breaks up with Wilma, the Chicks learn that heartbreak isn’t only about boys. In the final scene, a postcard from Sprotte’s father arrives at the Slättbergs’, announcing his return.