"Gräfliches Roulette" is a German television movie from 2010, so this one has its 10th anniversary this year and the writer and director here is Ulrich König, a really prolific filmmaker since the early 1980s already. He is 70 now and seems retired, to this one here was one of his final career efforts, actually his last one as writer, a field of profession where he was not half as prolific as in terms of directing. He surely did not go out on a high note if we take a look at this film here. It runs for 90 minutes, slightly under as most other German small screen releases, and the "star" here is Fritz Wepper, who I deem considerably less talented than his brother Elmar. The reason why I think that Fritz is incredibly overrated are exactly films like this one and he has been in a lot like these. Admittedly, his trademark television show "Um Himmels Willen" is nothing to be proud of either, another prime example of entertainment for very simple people, just like almost everything else F. Wepper has starred in. It is not surprising at all that there are at least 4 cast members here part of this film that have also appeared more than once on "Um Himmels Willen" because König himself has worked a lot on said television show. Most of the other cast members here have also played in one of the "SOKO" shows. These are German television shows shown in the evening that take place in different cities. No good quality there either. The only cast member here who I was at least slightly curious about is Leonard Lansink because I liked "Wilsberg" years ago when I watched it regularly. Well, I wish I could say that Lansink elevated the material of this film, but truth is it is that bad that he cannot make a difference either unfortunately, so I wonder why accepted to star in here. The rest of the cast I am not familiar with, even if most of them are pretty experienced actors too and already were back in 2010.
This is the story of a lord (or something like that, don't know the exact title) who struggles financially and as he does not want any money from his butler, he is forced to let a Flodder-like family into his castle, so he won't lose it. The castle I mean. The film goes on for an hour like that and both sides manage to get rid of some of their bias and prejudice and we understand that the writer here wants us to see them both as likable. The antagonists are others. Or one other character I should say. It also becomes pretty obvious there that the film is not exactly a revelation when it comes to character writing in terms of giving them shades. Still, it was mostly tolerable and I would only say it was a weak film, not a bad film. The main reason is that the film does not take itself seriously at all. It does not have a right to anyway. There were major issues in the first 60 minutes too, like the stupid golf statue scene (so unrealistic and for the sake of it) or, most of all, that the roulette reference in the title feels so pointless and random. Near the end, it is explained though and in the most stupid manner that makes it easy for me to deduct another two stars from this film. I will mention a few things. The heart attack, even if we find out it was staged, was a terribly poor inclusion and the revelation that it as staged and that all was fake, including the police, is ridiculously stupid. I wish this was all. It's not. Another character then stages a second raid and all who staged the first raid now believe the second raid is real. Which it is not. By the way, already the background premise that there was illegal gambling going on is a bad joke. They should have registered the evening with authorities, which obviously they did not because they thought the second raid was real. Also impossible to believe that the guy who was not in it that the first raid was staged knew it anyway. It's just so stupid. By the way, this guy is of course the son of the main antagonist and he starts making out with the daughter from the Flodder family. Oh my. If you think, things could not go any worse than that, wait till she crashes into the lake and it is stuck. They should wash their mouths for even mentioning James Bond in this garbage movie. There's more. Basically everything involving the antagonist's son, also how he gets employed. And also the relationship between the butler and the new cook. Honestly after this police raid mess, I really thought the only thing that could make this film even worse is if they get in another romance story, preferrably between the butler and the cook, and there it is. At least implied. No words for this abomination. I should have turned it off after 60 minutes, but I never do and I really did not expect the film to turn into such garbage like it eventually does. I could list another dozen examples, but I'd rather not, so I don't have to remember them again. They were there though. I rest my case now. Big thumbs-down for this movie that was shown around noon today here on German television, but truth is it should never be shown again. Not even around midnight where nobody sees it. Highly not recommended.
This is the story of a lord (or something like that, don't know the exact title) who struggles financially and as he does not want any money from his butler, he is forced to let a Flodder-like family into his castle, so he won't lose it. The castle I mean. The film goes on for an hour like that and both sides manage to get rid of some of their bias and prejudice and we understand that the writer here wants us to see them both as likable. The antagonists are others. Or one other character I should say. It also becomes pretty obvious there that the film is not exactly a revelation when it comes to character writing in terms of giving them shades. Still, it was mostly tolerable and I would only say it was a weak film, not a bad film. The main reason is that the film does not take itself seriously at all. It does not have a right to anyway. There were major issues in the first 60 minutes too, like the stupid golf statue scene (so unrealistic and for the sake of it) or, most of all, that the roulette reference in the title feels so pointless and random. Near the end, it is explained though and in the most stupid manner that makes it easy for me to deduct another two stars from this film. I will mention a few things. The heart attack, even if we find out it was staged, was a terribly poor inclusion and the revelation that it as staged and that all was fake, including the police, is ridiculously stupid. I wish this was all. It's not. Another character then stages a second raid and all who staged the first raid now believe the second raid is real. Which it is not. By the way, already the background premise that there was illegal gambling going on is a bad joke. They should have registered the evening with authorities, which obviously they did not because they thought the second raid was real. Also impossible to believe that the guy who was not in it that the first raid was staged knew it anyway. It's just so stupid. By the way, this guy is of course the son of the main antagonist and he starts making out with the daughter from the Flodder family. Oh my. If you think, things could not go any worse than that, wait till she crashes into the lake and it is stuck. They should wash their mouths for even mentioning James Bond in this garbage movie. There's more. Basically everything involving the antagonist's son, also how he gets employed. And also the relationship between the butler and the new cook. Honestly after this police raid mess, I really thought the only thing that could make this film even worse is if they get in another romance story, preferrably between the butler and the cook, and there it is. At least implied. No words for this abomination. I should have turned it off after 60 minutes, but I never do and I really did not expect the film to turn into such garbage like it eventually does. I could list another dozen examples, but I'd rather not, so I don't have to remember them again. They were there though. I rest my case now. Big thumbs-down for this movie that was shown around noon today here on German television, but truth is it should never be shown again. Not even around midnight where nobody sees it. Highly not recommended.
