Poppitz

car salesman gerry schartl is on his way to dream holidays in an all-inclusive club at cosamera. He´s a smart guy, great in his job, and his life is perfect - well, nearly perfect... his wife is seeing a psychiatrist for two years, his punk daughter obviously dislikes her parents (and this trip) and there´s something about that German guy Poppitz his boss has phoned very frequently over the last weeks that makes schartl nervous. Anyway, happy holiday here we come... Not so fast - this vacation sonn will become a nightmare ( and a very funny one for the viewer of this movie) including lost luggage, cockroaches, the naughtiest club guests in the world and a funny(?!) animation program at the club. If you are Austrian and already know Düringer movies - watch this film; you´ll like it If you´re from somewhere else around the planet and have no clue - watch this film, too, it has superb lines ("Wüst du mi veroaschn???" - " Ja. Morgen - geht das?")

I saw this film in Austria a few years ago and loved it. I was just learning German, saw it without subtitles, and yet found it pretty easy to follow along. I was laughing hard in several places and found it to be a very amusing, enjoyable, goofy comedy. Not super satisfied with the ending, but overall it was well worth watching. Others watching were laughing hard as well and enjoying it even more, since they were getting the German vs. Austrian inside jokes. I didn't get all the jokes due to the language barrier, but I still laughed quite a bit. Family vacation antics with a little bit of a Secret Life of Walter Mitty quality to it. I'm a pretty tough critic when it comes to comedies and do not laugh so easily at things that are supposed to be cute. As an example, I rolled my eyes and groaned while watching "Amelie"--didn't enjoy it--although the masses adored it. I don't recommend many comedies, but I do recommend this one.

The newest film by Harald Sicheritz starring Roland Düringer and his old `Schlabarett' mates is different from the others (Hinterholz 8, Freispiel, Wanted etc.) in three points: it is faster and visually more evaluate; and it is not as exclusively Viennese. About half of the characters (and thank God also the actors) are of German origin. Düringer is the big loser this time, and the Germans are the winners because they have the better humour, more money and wits. None of them is nice, all the characters are extremely exaggerated and extremely unlikeable.

The plot of the film is confusing, the editing impressively fast and the dialogues are full of wickedness.

I'm still not sure what to think of Poppitz but it's definitely Harald Sicheritz's best film and worth watching.