Toni Erdmann

German filmmaker Maren Ade's poignant, Oscar-nominated comedic drama revolves around an exuberant, practical-joking father who tries to reconnect with his uptight daughter by creating an outrageous alter-ego. Within this context, Ade satirically tackles feminism, workplace sexism, international capitalism, and German arrogance within the European Union. After his beloved dog dies, divorced, middle-aged music teacher Winifred Conradi (Peter Simonischek) feels totally lost. So he tries to reconnect with his only child—daughter Ines (Sandra Hüller)—who is obsessive about her executive consulting work in Romania. When eccentric prankster Winifred turns up unannounced in Bucharest for the weekend, Ines is curt and obviously annoyed. But free-spirited Winifred defiantly becomes an abrasive con-man, taking on the role of a management coach named Toni Erdmann, who creates chaos in Ines's high-pressure business life. Running nearly three hours, this wildly rebellious, absurdly redemptive film is a slow-building character study that will test the patience of some while rewarding others. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by costars Sandra Huller and Peter Simonischek, and producer Janine Jackowski, and an AFI Fest red carpet and Q&A segment (16 min.). Bottom line: a solid extras package for this engaging Oscar-nominated foreign film.] (S. Granger)