User Reviews

"Was machen Frauen morgens um halb vier?", which means "What is it that women do at 4 o'clock in the morning?" is a German television movie from 2012 that runs like most other German small screen releases for 90 minutes approximately and the answer to the very clumsy title for this film is: They are working. For, as you can see from the title, the central character in this movie here is in charge of running a bakery. She is not too experienced, but when her father is rushed to the hospital for what could have been a heart attack she has to take over and keep things going. Of course, as always with these films a lot happens at the same time as if this new challenge would not be enough for her. She is dating a guy, even if not at the center of the film, there are problems with the bank and there is imminent danger that the bakery may have to close because they cannot pay the mortgage anymore etc. Luckily she gets help. The help she gets is from Muriel Baumeister's character and yeah I totally forgot the central character is played by Brigitte Hobmeier. These two are also the faces/actresses that you will maybe recognize if you have seen many German films. They are kind of known here and successful. But this does not necessarily mean they are giving good performances here. Of course, the script is not helping at all. The best example is when the two women end up arguing over nothing in a pseudo-dramatic plot twist that their close relationship could be over. There are many unrealistic moments in this film and itg is the screenplay that makes or breaks a movie and for this one here, it breaks the movie for sure. So it is kinda good news that Martina Brand has not worked on any other projects after this one here. Director Matthias Kiefersauer has been more prolific for sure and that is alright. He is among the better aspects here, but of course his camera work cannot save the writing mess. A few other examples. The dream sequences. These sheikhs entering at the end when utter desperation and hopelessness are there of course brought in by the main character's love interest. The screaming attack by the female protagonist at her love interest also close to the end. And finally the scenes "abroad" which look honestly so cheap (for once not Brand to blame) that you know immediately they are not somewhere actually in the desert. And that is like just the final 15 minutes. Everything before that does not look any better. I would like to exclude Peter Lerchbaumer though. Actually seeing him grumpy at the hospital because of the food they are serving was kinda entertaining and he was a bit of a scene stealer anyway every time the camera caught him. So atg least he is entertaining. His father-daughter story about him not having the confidence in his girl that she can manage also felt shoddy and forced. They are going for emotion here many times and the film takes itself completely seriously, which makes things even worse and is probably the main reason why it all turned out so weak. Failure territory. Big thumbs-down. Highly not recommended, although there is no denying Baumeister still looks really good for her age.