The Diva Del Mar Reviews Toni Erdmann
Let me open up with a bang here and tell you that this movie is sensational. It’s a gorgeous treatise of human nature and our ability to change through those we love around us. And I know I’m getting ahead of myself, but I just loved this film.
The movie revolves around the story of an ambitious career woman, Ines, played beautifully by Sandra Huller, and her playful father who calls himself Toni as part of an elaborate prank. Peter Simonischek brings this wonderful character to life with a gentle hand that steals camera at every moment. When we first meet “Toni,” one gets the impression that he is a bit of a mess. He likes to play pranks on unsuspecting victims and keeps fake teeth in his pocket at all times to enhance his ruses. Despite his unerring sense of humor, Toni has not done a great job at forging a close relationship with his daughter, and as the movie continues to develop, you learn that Ines plays a major part in this problem. She has a very high-maintenance career and all of her time is spent sacrificing her personal life in order to maintain her place on the corporate ladder. Ines has adopted a very tough persona, to allow her to conquer the day-to-day misogyny that plagues big business. She is curt, aggressive, and has no time for laughter, beauty, or even a normal sex life. She has forged a hellish life that lacks any fun or humor. Her femininity is not honored in any sense and she is constantly balancing on the edge of a knife to fight her way higher in her industry.
Her silly, prankster of a father surprises her with an extended visit after his beloved dog passes away, and begins to crash her networking parties and social scenes as Toni. As this point, the movie starts to get really funny and also really poignant. Ines, is forced to face the fact that she has thrown her life away for a job filled with people that do n’t appreciate her. Her charismatic father holds a mirror to her face just by being himself and Ines starts to face the folly of her life. She begins to melt under the relentless presence of her hilarious father and it’s a pleasure to see her character make a powerful shift.
Also, get ready to laugh! There are chuckles throughout and one particular scene will have you rolling with laughter. That is, unless you require cinematic punchlines to tell you when to laugh. This film is comedy in the European fashion, where the movies don’t pause in any way to queue your laughter. You simply chuckle when it tickles you and if you are paying attention, you should chuckle though out the movie. If you are curious about the difference in comedic timing, watch a movie by Stephen Chow, which has exaggerated comedic timing to compare.
Full of love and poignant moments, this understated film goes by in a flash despite its 162 minute running time. Maren Ida, the director, takes us on a delightful and heart-warming emotional journey. It’s the kind of film I wish we had more of, because we all need more humor in our lives, and that in the end is the message of Toni Erdmann.
Thanks for reading!
The Diva Del Mar
