Einfach Mal Was Schönes (2022)
Directed by Karoline Herfurth
Karla (Karoline Herfurth) is a late-night radio host, 39, single and utterly and totally fine (she’s fine!). That is, until she sees her ex at her father’s wedding strutting around with his pregnant wife. You see, as they were together, Karla got pregnant, but seeing the existential dread on his (dumb) face, agreed to wait and got an abortion. Now, Karla is determined to have a baby on her own, which is easier said than done, what with being a single woman, caring for an alcoholic depressed mother and having virtually no-one to share the load.
This movie is two movies running parallel to each other, with the main character being at the intersection, kind of like an infinity symbol. This is fully intentional, making the film and the characters more lifelike, mixing drama and comedy into a somewhat fuller depiction of normal life.
Karla’s life is dominated by her family drama. We’re shown a deeply dysfunctional family, who can’t communicate anything without it escalating into a fight. As the middle sister, she takes the brunt of everyone’s disappointment and is virtually the only one caring for their mother who slid into a depression years ago, as their father left the family for another woman (my, am I tired of this trope). Her older sister is an overly stressed, always angry lawyer (and that trope), who had to parent their mother, before Karla took over and the youngest sister is always on the verge of tears or crying (and this one), if anything doesn’t go according to plan. It is this nigh impenetrable wall of trauma Karla has to overcome to get, what she wants - a family of her own.
As a counterweight to the tearful family drama, the romcom, including different music, cinematography and lighting, is more lighthearted and ticks all of the trope (I'm usually not one for harping on tropes, but man this movie broke me) boxes in the process:
Senay: The plus-size non-white (but light-skinned enough) best friend complete with vaguely ethnic zingers and unquestioning support.
Ole: The dreamy love interest (with no discerning character, except his hotness).
The cutest meet-cute I’ve seen in a while: During the afterparty at Karla’s father’s wedding, her mother drunkenly crashes the wedding and Karla is somehow made responsible for that. Obviously she wants to leave immediately, but alas she forgot her handbag on enemy soil the dancefloor. Enter Ole, dreamy and very hot…
The first kiss: Barefoot in the rain.
The second-act break-up: The only time the family drama and the romcom intersect and Ole accidentally overhears that Karla wants a baby.
The “I don’t believe in love, anymore” moment: After Karla’s mother has a drunken accident and Karla is left to care for her.
The grand speech and getting together: Complete with horse-drawn carriage.
Karoline Herfurth’s determined and precise direction elevates a somewhat messy script, combining the heavy family drama and the ridiculously cute romcom into a unified story of societal and familial expectations, womanhood, family bonds and trauma healing. In the end nothing is really resolved, the trauma is still there, her mother is still an alcoholic, but at least has a boyfriend and a chance at a healthier family of her own.