Toni Erdmann 2016

     Winfried lives in Germany, he is an unusual man, he has a dog but he passes away from old age.  He doesn’t get to see much of his daughter who lives in Bucharest, Romania.  She works as a corporate strategist.  Winfried pays her a surprise visit but it’s a bad time for her because she is working on a very important business deal.  Winfried is a practical joker and his daughter thinks he flew back to his home but he hasn’t?  He starts wearing a black wig and posing as his alter ego Toni Erdmann.  He barges into her work circle and causes disruption for everyone.  He also has fake teeth and he loves whoopee cushions!! 

     There were a LOT of times I didn’t think this was very funny!!!  I also think this film needed more concise editing because it’s too long.  The director said she didn't want to interrupt the pacing by the editing.  Maybe there is a cultural difference here but I understood more about this film from reading about it than watching it?  I thought it became a slog to get through and that is not entertainment.  2* (I didn't like this movie)  

164 min, Comedy directed by Maren Ade with Sandra Huller, Peter Simonischek, Micahel Wittenborn, Thomas Loibl, Trystan Putter, Ingrid Bisu, Hadewych Minis, Lucy Russell, Victoria Cocias, Jurg Low.

Note:  Imdb 7.5 out of 10, 92% critic 75% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 4*, Amazon 3.3* out of 5* with 44 reviews, Metacritic 93 out of 100 with 36 critics 7.1 out of 10 with 127 reviews.

Special Note:  Filmed in Bucharest, Ploiesti, Romania and North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.  This film is loosely based on director Maren Ade’s father.  Her father likes to put fake teeth in his mouth to joke with people??  The style of the humor is also inspired by Andy Kaufman.  This was one of the best-reviewed and most popular films as the 69^th Cannes International Film Festival.  Despite the good reviews, this film didn’t win any awards at the Festival.  The shooting took place in 56 days.  Maren Ade spent over a year in editing and she also gave birth to her second child during this time period.