Thursday, February 23, 2017

Quick Reviews: Toni Erdmann (2016)

Will this win Best Foreign Film?  To find out if it should, read on...
Our Hero is an old guy who loves to play dress up, make weird jokes and just generally make people feel awkward.
His Daughter is an overworked Businesswoman who can't quite connect with him.
When his Dog dies, he goes to visit her in Romania.  She doesn't exactly roll out the Red Carpet...
After they have a bit of a blow up, he appears to leave...only to return as Toni Erdmann, a Businessman who can spend time with her.
Can she get Toni...er, her Dad out of her life?  Should she want that?
I could give you more of a Teaser for the Film, but...well, this will do.  See the Film.
Das ist good?  Toni Erdmann is kind of an odd Film.  The whole thing is a mix of serious, random, awkward humor and schmaltz.  The thing fluctuates from being awkward to sincere to sad to randomly-funny.  Like the British Empire at one point, it was all over the map.  Dated Historical zing!  Speaking of Europe, this one comes to us from the German-speaking chaps in, well, Germany (and if they have time, Austria).  That said, about 1/3 of the Dialogue is in English...with German people...in Romania.  Weird, right?  All of the Acting is quite good, keeping pace with the odd nature of the Story.  While it is a bit long and some bits drag out, I'm not going to be the one person not to sing its praises...
A fairly-subtle Film that randomly gets super-weird.  It will certainly not work for everyone, but it sure is interesting.

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