Review of Toni Erdmann (2016) by Ws W — 26 Dec 2016

As uproarious as it is melancholic, and unflincingly human, Toni Erdmann is a master-class of contemporary filmmaking, and far-and-away from being just an "arthouse Adam Sandler movie". German director/writer Maren Ade has indeed made gold from a rather silly concept, but she captures it in a way that's not just plausible for the film's world, but our's as well.

Using lunacy to be observational towards the conventional, Toni Erdman addresses universal topics such as career and family, and while it's absolutely scripted, it's also lucid that much of the film was found during the filming and editing processes.

The international cast is extraordinary, and veteran actor Peter Simonischek gives perhaps the most endearing performance of the year as the film's protagonist, whose bursts of humor are always unpredictable, yet never bombastic.

At just about 20 minutes south of three-hours, Toni Erdman's ambitions readily show, yet it goes by faster and more well-paced then any film this year, and be careful, as the film's heart break might not come apparent to you until after the credits.

Toni Erdman is exactly what the world needs right now: a cautiously feel-good movie.