Josiah Morgan’s review published on Letterboxd:
Not entirely sure what the overall fuss is about - to think that Toni Erdmann is an exemplar for the possibilities of an artform is a somewhat baffling response (to believe this film gets anywhere near the quality of the controlled & empathetic efforts output by filmmakers such as Reichardt and Verhoeven this year is almost brutally detrimental to the value of craft), but it's challenging for one to fault Ade's monumental achievement in writing - not only in how the film on occasion explodes into fearless comedy (this is well-documented by now) but in how the detrimental effects of a relationship defined by removed toxicity lead to performative behaviors (for the benefit not only of relations to others but also for your own peace of mind). Both performances in this film are astoundingly selfless (and they both play naturally selfish characters) in their raw and sensitive portrayals of opposed yet identical personalities. Ultimately, it just feels like a filmed screenplay... but those words are incredible, and maybe - at least in this case - that's all you need.
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