the fresh films reviews

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Toni Erdmann (2016)

Director:
Maren Ade
INTERNATIONAL TITLE
Toni Erdmann
COUNTRY
Germany/Austria
GENRE
Comedy/Drama
RUNNING TIME
162 minutes
Producer:
Maren Ade
Jonas Dornbach
Janine Jackowski
Michael Merkt
Screenwriter:
Maren Ade


Cast includes:

CHARACTER ACTOR/ACTRESS RATING
Winfried Conradi / Toni Erdmann Peter Simonischek ½
Ines Conradi Sandra Hüller ½
Anca Ingrid Bisu
Steph Lucy Russell
Henneberg Michael Wittenborn
Gerald Thomas Loibl
Tim Trystan Pütter
Tatjana Hadewych Minis
Iliescu Vlad Ivanov

 

Review

With its gentle buffoonery and cringe comedy inclinations, this life-affirming hybrid between family drama and social criticism slowly demands your complete attention – and ultimately appreciation – thanks to warm, self-exposing acting-performances and patient, sensitive storytelling by writer/director Maren Ade. Toni Erdmann is arch-European in style, with its limited use of music, unassuming camera-work and at first glance unremarkable characters and situations. But the introduction of the title character enables Ade to embark on a playful and highly ambitious dissection of her lead characters in which the constant duality and looming breakdown of both Winfried's and Ines' act adds a surprising level of intensity and suspense to it all. The result is an electrifying psychological study elegantly wrapped in distinct, underplayed comedic qualities. A truly original film.

Copyright © 11.01.2018 Fredrik Gunerius Fevang

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