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DVD Männer zum Knutschen
 Run time: 83 min Rating: 4.7 Genres: Comedy | Romance Director: Robert Hasfogel Writers: Juergen Hirsch, Marcus Lachmann Stars: Frank Christian Marx, Udo Lutz, Alexandra Starnitzky |
| Storyline The gay couple Tobi and Ernie are being visited by Ernie’s old friend Uta. What at first looks like an innocent house-call, turns into an insidious attack on the couple’s relationship. |
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| Plot Keywords: gay couple, gay, kiss, egg, kissing | |
| Details: Country: Germany Release Date: 6 September 2012 (Germany) |
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The first vision most people will have when debating whether or not to see Männer zum knutschen (Men to Kiss) is that the film would be more aptly titled Men who Kiss. It is easy to understand why when one considers the fact this films focus is gay lovers. I suggest that any of you who have formed this preconceived notion evict this thought from your minds immediately. This production is not about men who make out and it is entirely free of gratuitous erotica. Men to Kiss is a light-hearted, albeit absurd, comedy starring Frank Christian Marx and Udo Lutz in the lead roles. It is a German production, filmed almost entirely in Berlin, with English subtitles.
I had the opportunity to view this film at the Calgary Fairy Tales Queer Film Festival 2012 which is runs from May 24 to June 2. Producer/Actor Frank Christian Marx is taking this film on a world tour and thus far it has received critical acclaim.
Men to Kiss is about the trials and tribulations of two gay lovers, banker type Ernst (Marx) and Tobias (Lutz), prone to histrionics, who are still unsure of the strength of their relationship only have the ultimate femme fatale, Ernst's sadistic childhood friend Uta (Alexandra Starnitzky), dropped within their midst, hell-bent on splitting this couple up.
What transpires is a refreshing comedy that jumps from genre to genre throughout the film, leaving the audience never bored. It borders on the absurd, takes a helping hand from slapstick and corn, and takes generous helpings of sarcasm and sardonic humour as side dishes. Lead Frank Christian Marx also wrote the script and it is obvious that his influences are diverse and well developed. Be it a Fellini like surrealism, a Monty Pythonesque absurdity, good old fashioned Carry On slapstick, or Marx Brothers style corn, Marx and director Robert Hasfogel morphed these genres into a dramatic comedy, surprisingly, that is uniquely their own.
Early in the film, the couple's friends become aware of Uta's mad desire to break Ernst and Tobias up. What transpires is a hilarious plot to save them from Uta's clutches. Business like Ernst and flamboyantly histrionic Tobias compliment each other well playing off of one another as the serious straight fall guy and the comic who never seems to take things seriously, that is until Uta arrived on their doorstep.
This is the first gay themed film that I have viewed that does not enter into the realm of gay politics and rights. It is strictly a comedy about two lovers that just happen to be gay. If you enjoyed La Cage aux Folles, the probability is high that you will enjoy Men to Kiss. It will appeal to both straight and gay audiences alike. According to Frank Christian Marx, in Germany it is getting better reception in front of non-gay audiences.
This is, ostensibly, a romantic comedy, so it should be a prerequisite that the audience root for the lead couple to end up together. However, one half of the couple is so irritating that, frankly, I would have been happy for the ex-girlfriend to triumph. I get that 'opposites attract' is a well-used conceit, but the key word is 'attract'. I can't think of one reason why Ernie would want to stay with Tobi, who is presented as flighty, emotionally stunted, and childish. I get why Ernie is hesitant to break ties with Uta, who makes no secret of her outrageously bad behavior. His mother has basically cut all ties to him, and it's natural that he would want to keep someone in his life who has history with him, even if he realizes on some level that she doesn't exactly have his best interests at heart. But Tobi (and his friends) don't bring anything substantial to the table, and Ernie has only known them for six months. I just didn't buy it at all, and having Ernie repeat over and over "He's my soul-mate" means nothing if the audience doesn't actually see something in Tobi, as well. I wanted to like it because the actor who plays Ernie is quite engaging, but I also wanted his partner to actually deserve him.
This Film manages to be entertaining and funny even for People who are not Gay. It has this seemingly "light" quality, which is hard to achieve. The characters are believable, the story is fast paced, but not too much. I really love whats going in in the faces: the little mimics. All actors are professional and loving to the very detail. The camera is amazing and the music underlines the scenes perfectly. The film deals with the ever present theme, but love is there in so many facets: Men, women, and the glorious City of Berlin. The film shows, that even with a low budget, one can create a little wonder, a fairy tale, something beautiful- it is a present we all need sometimes.
Here comes something unexpected. A German gay screwball comedy. The movie is a very enjoyable tale of friendship, relationships and the power of true love. It's a little movie with a bigger than life heart and very inspiring actors. I find myself falling in love with the lead Frank Christian Marx. An actor who I never heard before of but who's totally worth checking out. His portray of a clueless guy who has to choose between the love of his life and his female best friend is the real deal of the film. But the other performances are good as well, especially the villain is a very enjoyable woman you love to hate. A very big plus is the music which is something very different from other German movies, it sounds much more like a mix between Disney and danny elfman. I really liked it much more than I thought I would.