Alter weißer Mann

The title and first 15-20 minutes made me worry this would just be an old white man complaining about how you can't say anything anymore. Some jokes, especially early on, definitely missed the mark and made me cringe, but the movie, like its main character Heinz, goes on a surprising journey of self-reflection. By the end, it comes to a resolution that felt thoughtful and satisfying. While it wasn't perfect and the beginning had me skeptical, I left the theatre feeling like the movie had more to say than I'd initially expected.

I do feel like the entire AI storyline and Elyas M'Barek's character could've been left out without any damage to the script. That whole part felt like it was just added to have the popular actor in it without committing too much screentime and money.

I can tell you why this movie was produced and got all the funding from a dozen state institutes. In the tite, the word "Mann" (man) is present. Yep, thats it. German movies who have Woman or man in the title get 95% of all funding money because 30-40 years ago there were 3 or 4 succesful movies with "Man" in the title. You may chuckle but this is the harsh reality of getting your movie funded from 60 year old bureaucrats. Some people with desk jobs and no affiliation to the movie industry, decide which movies are produced. In some cases, its 1 Person for 30 years or more in charge of greenlighting projects.

I enjoyed this Allan-like comedy navigating into most of today's diversity clichés and New Speak. I wonder if it's dialogue can be faithfully translated in other languages but it works in German. One may have heard some of these gags before, yet coming at such a terrific speed this doesn't matter.

A German crewball comedy isn't something we have seen too often in the past, but Verhoeven apparently has achieved to write and direct a very good example of this difficult art form.

As mentioned before the fast paced story reminded me of early Woody Allen scripts. A well experienced cast give their characters plausibility and the audience two hours of entertainment.

No pun intended - the movie feels a bit like a redemption tour of the main actor. Jan Josef Liebers made some very strange observations during a time where the world was even more sensitive than before. That said, he was not alone in experiencing backlash to stuff that were said.

But while this has some cringe worthy moments (quite a few actually), this also has an uplifting story overall to tell. That is, if you are able to forgive the movie and the character. Because what the movie is not telling you or rather what the main character does not understand on his journey (he does learn mind you), is not that he says something wrong ... but how he reacts to it! Now one could argue it is because the person is afraid of the cancel culture ... but that would be lying to oneself. Because you can make a mistake - but to be a grown up you have to own it.

What our main character is owning: is his family and his own speech! Also he is pitted against a greater evil (actually two of them, so a bit too much to be honest) ... so he already is winning in that department. So while there is a lot wrong with the movie - or you could argue that the movie gets more than a couple of things wrong (life lessons and all that) - you can be forgiving and just suspend your disbelief. Like with how the movie starts ... our main character in a fantasy - being a native American. Again not really making the most out of what they present ... not to mention the incorrect calling of said ... people! Everyone knows of Cowboys and Indians ... it is ok to call them that too. But as a grown up you should be able to also know there is a different term for them (native Americans as I already stated).

Sometimes things go to far ... that is true. But the movie is not about nuance ... while it does try to convince with caricatures and real issues some struggle with ... there is intent, that people will be able to see with what you say. The world is changing - and we should be able to change with it. Maybe this movie will help (even if this is not the initial intention) along the way ...