Toni Erdmann (2016)

Toni Erdmann is a slow-burning, bittersweet comedy-drama about a wildly unconventional attempt at reconciliation. Winfried, a divorced, prank-loving piano teacher from Aachen, decides to reconnect with his grown daughter Ines, a buttoned-up corporate strategist working long hours in Bucharest. When ordinary surprise visits and corny jokes fail to bridge the emotional distance, Winfried invents an outrageous alter ego — Toni Erdmann — complete with a tacky suit, bad wig and fake teeth, and inserts himself into Ines’s professional world as her CEO’s “life coach.” Watching the film, you’ll experience a strange, irresistible mix of cringe comedy and genuine tenderness. Many scenes linger: awkward encounters, painfully funny gags, and extended slices of everyday life that let the characters’ vulnerabilities surface slowly. The humor can be jaw-dropping and uncomfortable one moment, then quietly moving the next, as the two leads push and provoke each other until defenses crack. Performances feel lived-in and natural, giving weight to the growing, complicated bond between father and daughter. The movie explores themes of identity, authenticity, and the costs of ambition and routine, using absurdity to expose what people hide behind professionalism. Expect emotional payoffs that arrive gradually — not with sudden melodrama, but through small, human revelations. Toni Erdmann is both hilarious and heartbreakingly honest: a long, rewarding watch for viewers who appreciate character-driven films that blend awkward laughs with real emotional depth.

Actors: Sandra Hüller, Peter Simonischek, Michael Wittenborn

Director: Maren Ade

Runtime: 162 min

Genres: Comedy, Drama

6.4 /10 93 /100 7.3 /10 7.7 /10