WHAT A MAN

There's a real sense of irony in the title of this German romantic comedy written and directed by the leading TV actor Matthias Schweighöfer, as Alex the protagonist (that he also plays) is rather an immature wimp.  Well, he starts out that way as he allows his self-starved uptight model girlfriend to literally walk over him. He doesn't even know that she is having an affair with the loud-mouthed neighbor that she pretends to hate until she is rushed to the Hospital E.R. room after injuring herself in the course of having some very rough sex. 

Even then Alex is prepared to 'forgive' her and carry on, but since she has experienced the joys of sex toys which Alex now finds hidden in their closet, she wants no more of him.  Heartbroken, and cap in hand, he slinks off to sleep on the couch of his lifelong female friend Niele who is currently dating Etienne, when he is not out saving the world. Meanwhile, his best pal Okke who is desperate to stop him crawling back and begging Carolin to give him another chance, takes him to task and attempts to teach him how to 'man-up' by doing such butch activities as paintball and workshops in the wilderness.

You would have to be from another planet to miss seeing where this very predictable plot would end up, but full credit to the boyish looking Mr. Schweighöfer for imbuing the disarmingly charming lovelorn Alex with enough naivete that at least he seemed genuinely surprised with how much a man he was after all. He carries the piece and with such style that he made the movie quite a big Box-Office smash in Germany.  He will not however be able to repeat that in other markets that may be a tad more immune to his appeal, but nevertheless if you are up for an easygoing inoffensive date-night rom-com then this may do the trick.

★★★★★★