“MEN TO KISS”— A New German Comedy

Amos ♦ July 12, 2012 ♦ Leave Your Comment

“Men to Kiss” (“Männer zum knutschen”)

A New German Comedy

Amos Lassen

“Men to Kiss” is a comedy that really comes to life because of the performance of one of its co-writers, Frank Christian Marx. Ernst (Marx) is a banker who is very establishment yet he falls in love with the very gay Tobias (Udo Lutz). Their situation becomes totally complicated when Ernst’s best friend Uta (Alexandra Starnitzky) comes to Berlin and threatens Tobias if he does not leave Ernst. Things just get crazy and one of the weirdest casts of actors make everything go wild. The movie is about the trials and tribulations of the gay lovers who are still unsure of the strength of their relationship only have the ultimate femme fatale, Ernst’s sadistic childhood friend Uta who comes to visit and I determined to break the lovers up.

The comedy moves from genre to genre and while at times it may seem totally ridiculous, the audience is caught up in the laughter.   Early in the film, the couple’s friends become aware of Uta’s mad desire to break Ernst and Tobias up and they develop a plot to save the lovers from Uta’s manipulations. What transpires is a hilarious plot to save them from Uta’s clutches.  This is pure comedy—no hidden message, no politics and no quest for equal rights. This is the first gay themed film that I have viewed that does not enter into the realm of gay politics and rights.

The storyline is clever, funny and silly yet it comes across as totally real. The film explores that line between friendship and obsession- “an obsession born of unfulfilled desires and unrequited passion”. We get a look at a group of friends and Berlin which is one of those places where nothing is predictable.