Kein Pardon (1993)

Masterful Movie

Excellent and certainly provocative... If nothing else, the film is a real conversation starter.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

The face value of Hape Kerkeling's "Kein Pardon" might be a mere family comedy about mama's boy Peter Schlönzke (played by entertainer-comedian and the film's director Hape Kerkeling) who adores his favorite evening revue show a bit too much (and also far longer than might suit his age). However, the film turns into a rather keen show business satire shortly after Schlönzke applies for a performing role in that show, being the enthusiastic fan that he is.While the film never leaves its family-friendly tonal foundation and might develop too slowly for some people's tastes, its witty humor makes it a fine experience for enthusiasts of satire and/or retro showbiz films.Humor: 8/10 | suspense: 4/10 | emotional resonance: 6/10 | mesmerizing elements: 4/10

...make for a lame movie.Arrogant and incompetent TV show star gets fired, former extra becomes his replacement, turns as arrogant and flaky as his predecessor, and in the end get's the axe, too.Yes - this could have been a great satire on show biz. Unfortunately, it isn't. The key scene (extra, who is on stage in a rabbit costume next to the show star throws a tantrum in front of the camera) is totally unbelievable; lead Kerkeling ridiculously overacts in this scene. Most other scenes in the TV studio suck as well: the studio looks fake, ditto the TV studio audience and the show's director.The way he got in the studio in the first place is silly, too: His over-ambitious mother registers him without his knowledge for a casting of said TV show. He fails, but gets a job as cable puller and extra. However, his mother thinks that he's on the brink of stardom and tells all her friends and relatives. "Schlönzke" isn't able or willing to clear the misunderstanding - so when he lifts his rabbit's costume's head live on TV, the entire family is shocked. What a riot...The whole film staggers between satire and slapstick. Yes - they can co-exist. But the slapstick is so weak (TV sound re-recordist tells lead to open his zip right after he enters her office - not because she's horny, but she needs the sound to dub a scene - hilarious!) or construed (lead uses silly 'lucky tune' vending machine on the street and causes a crowd) that it simply doesn't work.The satire's tame as well. The more-than-aged TV show star tries (and at times succeeds) to pick up the youngest women; if he screws up, it's somebody else's fault, he's always on the run. The show's director is indecisive, his assistants apple polishers.Again: decent set-up - but most of the "jokes" go up in smoke.

It's a great satire but hard to understand if you didn't grow up in Germany. Most of the jokes are based on the very special humor and talent of Hape Kerkeling, that's why I think a translation wouldn't work.Anyhow, I know people who didn't like the movie but most of them just didn't understand the subtle jokes. Every time I see the movie again there's another revelation...Did you notice the "Bollerwagen"-shop next to the "Gluecksmelodie"-machine when he passes it for the second time? It's stuff like that which makes the movie still interesting to watch - even after the 10th time...

Though mainly using very simply, almost primitive jokes, somehow they managed to make the film really funny. This is probably due to Hape Kerkeling's appearance, because he already seems funny when he says just anything.