"Casting" is a German movie from this year (2017), so a really new release and these 90 minutes are the most recent filmmaking effort by writer and director Nicolas Wackerbarth, his second full feature film after some short film and small screen works. Looking at his body of work, acting is still his most prolific field, but if he comes up with quality films like this one here, then that is certainly subject too change fairly soon. He was in Toni Erdmann for example too. Anyway, back to this one here: German film buffs will recognize some names and faces here for sure, also some of the supporting players like Sawatzki who has a memorable part with her make-up reference quote too. But first things first: This is a drama mostly, I agree there with IMDb, but there are also many comedic situations involving the characters and their egos that make this a lighter watch and entertain nicely. It is about the upcoming remake of a Fassbinder film and the director's and producers' desperate search for an actress to play the central character that may eventually put a question mark behind the existence of the entire project, the film itself. We see several actresses auditioning for the part, but it's also all about the professional lives of the crew. The private lives are shut out almost entirely. A baby is included, but also only because the director needs a babysitter and brings it back to work at the very end.
There is no violent explosion needed against the baby or against the crew in the final scene. They close shooting as friends or I should say "friends" instead as there is a great deal of fake to this film. The best performance comes from Andreas Lust in here and he is also the closest to a lead performance. Fittingly the film ends with his encore if you may want to call it like that and the applause for him too and it's good he is in the center of it, even if I may be a bit biased because I quite like the actor. Overall there were many interesting characters in here with some great facets. It's a shame that films like this one will not attract 10% of the box office and attention as garbage comedies starring the likes of M'Barek and Schweighöfer, especially because these are the evidence that there are funny and witty German comedy films that at the very same time make an impact in terms of drama and feel authentic and realistic. You only have to look at the right places. An in these even obscene quotes somehow fit in much better than all the stupid boobs/penis/sex humor you will find in several of these previously mentioned garbage comedies. Another one worth checking out with a pretty similar background is the one about making a Michael Kohlhaas film from not too long ago. If you enjoyed this one here, then my suggestion is to go for that one too as it is another quality comedy about the everyday struggles of making a movie. Film on film the way it should be. "Casting" gets a thumbs-up from me, even if it is not good enough to be great or year-best material. Still you should check it out.
There is no violent explosion needed against the baby or against the crew in the final scene. They close shooting as friends or I should say "friends" instead as there is a great deal of fake to this film. The best performance comes from Andreas Lust in here and he is also the closest to a lead performance. Fittingly the film ends with his encore if you may want to call it like that and the applause for him too and it's good he is in the center of it, even if I may be a bit biased because I quite like the actor. Overall there were many interesting characters in here with some great facets. It's a shame that films like this one will not attract 10% of the box office and attention as garbage comedies starring the likes of M'Barek and Schweighöfer, especially because these are the evidence that there are funny and witty German comedy films that at the very same time make an impact in terms of drama and feel authentic and realistic. You only have to look at the right places. An in these even obscene quotes somehow fit in much better than all the stupid boobs/penis/sex humor you will find in several of these previously mentioned garbage comedies. Another one worth checking out with a pretty similar background is the one about making a Michael Kohlhaas film from not too long ago. If you enjoyed this one here, then my suggestion is to go for that one too as it is another quality comedy about the everyday struggles of making a movie. Film on film the way it should be. "Casting" gets a thumbs-up from me, even if it is not good enough to be great or year-best material. Still you should check it out.
