Toni Erdmann (2016)

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.