Das perfekte Geheimnis

This movie is impressive, but not in the way that (the presumably paid) positive reviews put it. It is the most forced drama I ever witnessed on screen, with laughably stupid dialogue, a "twist" that you can see a mile ahead and banal moral lesson at the end. The whole script is basically one tired cliché after another, taken straight out of a telenovela, and induces lethal levels of cringe from start to end. I sincerely don't understand how anyone can manage suspension of disbelief, as the premise is unrealistic, especially more so as the story progresses.

Of course, to satisfy the Current Thing, the "good guy" turns out to be someone other than what he appears to be, and cheap shots are fired at the "bigots", so that the intellectually lazy can pat themselves on the shoulder. This stands in contrast to the cynical and unlikeable way the "friends" interact with each other for the whole evening. There is overt ridicule, backstabbing, envy and just plain aggression that in the real world would turn friends to enemies in a second, but apparently not in this parallel universe of make-belief scriptwriting.

The camera work was okay, the acting mixed with some good and bad outliers, but there is no way to save the viewer from an overdose of Fremdscham. Take this as a warning and spend your time in some superior way, eg getting drunk at the gas station with cheap Lambrusco.

Don't expect deep truth or drama, this movie is probably the best German sitcom you'll ever encounter and the closest a German script comes to the early Woody Allen. The basic idea (don't show ur mobile to your partner) is not too clever and according to another review has been screened before, but the actors play well, not all of the story's twists are predictable and I enjoyed the movie. Most of the jokes are about sex but you have to lack any sense of humor if you find them offensive or against heteros or homos. Take it for what it is, a light comedy.

I am not a fan of German comedies at all, having suffered through numerous Til Schweiger movies amongst others. That's why I was totally surprised by "Das perfekte Geheimnis". It is a very dense movie experience, similar to theater. If you have seen "Carnage" you know what I mean. Almost all of the plot takes place in the living room of one couple. The actors are brilliant, the plot is very clever (although taken from the French/Italian origignal title). And the movie has an air of quality that almost all other German comedies so hurtingly lack. As for the criticism of homophoby and misogyny, I was surprised when reading about it. Yes, there are characters using careless language about their gay friend. But those are immediately corrected by other, more sensitive friends. Also, the topic of child care by either men or women is discussed. But I couldn't see any specific trend towards misogyny. The spite is distributed evenly between men and women, and quite funniliy I might add. Overall, I find it hard, if not impossible to burden a comedy with the duty to carry a perfect picture of a perfect society. Go see it!

German comedies are rare in Germany. Or rather, good German comedies are rare. What the author Bora Dagtekin shows us here is a wonderfully thought-out film that takes place almost exclusively in one room. Seven friends meet for dinner and put their cell phones on the table. No more secrets. The film is meticulously thought out and exciting until the end. The actors carry the story excellently and are wonderfully cast. Anyone who wants to see a good German film again, this is the right one.

A remake of an Italian original, excellently written, full of funny and truly unexpected surprises. Very well played by most of the cast. Didn't feel like 144 minutes at all.