Review of Toni Erdmann (2016) by Alan W — 20 Feb 2017

Where do I begin with this film? The most important thing to know about this film is that it's almost three hours long and if you already have low-tolerance for lengthy films, Toni Erdmann will not be the one to win you over. That being said, this slow-moving drama is actually quite a little gem of a film. Filmed in Germany and switching back and forth between the German and English language quite often, it does beg the question of whether or not it should have been considered for best foreign film, especially when Lion is nominated for Best Picture, when a lot of the film is in Bengali. I guess it just comes down to the production and distribution of the film, but I still found it quite curious that there is a solid third of the film in English. Bizarre, weird to its core, and very off-beat, here are my thoughts on the Oscar-nominated Toni Erdmann.

To put it simply, Toni Erdmann is about a man who has lost his dog, therein having nothing left in life, say for his daughter. Trying to reconnect with her by showing up unannounced and creating fictional characters to make himself laugh, as well as the others around him, certain scenes become quite uncomfortable and quite frankly, weird. The premise itself is unlike anything I have seen, so that isn't particularly where my faults of the film come into play, which I will get into later. From start to finish, this film kept finding new ways of being surprising. It also helped that these actors/actresses were all chosen very well for their respective roles, especially Peter Simonischek in the title role.

When it comes to making a film that clocks in just under three hours, there are many elements that have to be in play. It needs to be able to hold your interest by showcasing some terrific characters, keep you engaged with an exciting premise, and make you feel like spending more time with these people. Unlike films like Gone with the Wind or Ben-Hur where it requires you to either gander at the spectacle or demand more time with their characters, is a film of great length that truly doesn't demand more screen time, or even multiple viewings. The biggest issue with this film is the fact that the story is dragged out far too much and quite honestly could have cut out about 40 minutes of its run time. The main character in Ines Conradi is focussed on too much while she is around work. I kept wishing the film would start to show more of the chemistry between her and her father, even though there is quite a bit.

If you have already come to think this film is slight off-beat by the end of the first or second acts, then you will be in for a real treat towards the end of this picture. Throughout nearly the entire third act, Toni Erdmann consistently becomes much stranger. From naked company parties to having a weird creature appear, this film will continue to surprise you. There are moments when I felt the film was trying to be inventive for the sake of being inventive and it didn't really move the story froward, but it was still incredibly unique. Also, the way this film ends was bittersweet and it really does make you think, but it felt a little too abrupt for me.

It may seem like I have been complaining about this film more than actually commending it for being original and inventive, but that it due to the fact that its run time is pretty tedious. The story itself, along with the characters and unique twists are all fantastic, making this a great film in the end, but it's not very re-watchable. Toni Erdmann is very well-written, well-directed, and you are able to buy into the fact that this is a weird man who hasn't seen his daughter in a long time, but it's just far too long of a film. If you are someone that can go into a film, ready for anything and willing to sit for almost three hours, then I believe you will appreciate the originality as much as I did. Overall, Toni Erdmann is a great film that deserves all of its recognition.