Part Two: “Advanced Grandchildren”: Generation Clash

Second part
“Advanced grandchildren”: Generation clash

They are back: Karin, Gerhard and Philippa, the trio, who are extremely sprightly but slightly bored with life, whom we got to know in 2020 in “Grandchildren for Beginners”. A mainstream music that is as spirited as it is life-affirmingComedy about generational contrasts, in the course of which the three had to prove themselves as surrogate grandparents. In the end, Karin says goodbye to the other side of the world for a year.

Now there is a sequel, again staged by Wolfgang Groos. Starring again: Maren Kroymann (“How to Sell Drugs Online (fast)”), Heiner Lauterbach (“It’s for Your Best”) and Barbara Sukowa (“Hannah Arendt”).

Husband interested in neighbor

Karin (Kroymann) is still in a good mood on the plane: the year in New Zealand has obviously done her good. She enthusiastically reports to the person sitting next to her (who then quickly asks for headphones). At home, however, the good mood quickly fades. Her husband (again played by Günther Maria Halmer) has reoriented himself a little during her absence: Not only has he brought a friendly neighbor into the home to take care of the household, who takes good care of him – no, there are some indications that that feelings are also involved.

But Karin wouldn’t be the resolute 66-year-old (“It’s not possible for him to just get this widow!”), whom we learned to appreciate in the previous film, if she didn’t know how to defend herself: the door locks will soon be replaced , now not even her husband comes into his own house. In the meantime, she is staying with her friend Gerhard (Lauterbach), the gay ex-doctor who is still mourning his deceased partner.

Between pensioner German and modern Denglish

The fact that the trio can do well with younger generations was proven in “Grandchildren for Beginners”. This time, the three of them take on a children’s shop that is in danger of becoming orphaned: and everything goes well at first. However, contamination of the food not only alerts the health department, but also leads to the closure of the facility. But problems, we know that, are cleared out of the way by Gerhard and Karin and Philippa. Even if only after some initial difficulties. In the everyday dialogue between young people and elderly caregivers, there is a wonderful confusion of languages ​​somewhere between pensioner German and supposedly modern German English: “We still have cravings!” “What?” “Cabbage Steam!”

This time, too, it is Heiner Lauterbach, who initially uses his facial expressions very sparingly, who ultimately touches the most: His homosexual Gerhard may appear to be a cultivated (current project: the exact study of the Bach Passions) educated citizen, his BMW drives along Strom, he no longer wants to have anything to do with friends who tend to support the AfD. And yet he is full of resentment, which can be seen in his dealings with the Turkish-born newspaper deliverer: When the morning delivery of his heart and stomach magazine doesn’t go so well, he shouts: “Work first, then the morning prayer!” after.

Lauterbach celebrated his 70th birthday this April; The public perception of his acting skills was not always fair. Some of the films in which the well-known actor played were also a bit slapstick (“cold feet”). Here, however, the native of Cologne shows how much a hinted, very tender smile can do if it is well timed and believable.

In any case, the gradual rapprochement between his character and the newspaper delivery man played by Ercan Durmaz (“4 Blocks”) is touching, which is also due to the respectful, in this case downright reserved directing. Heiner Lauterbach cannot prevent the fact that the “grandson” sequel needs some time to get going, that the momentum of the debut, despite the undoubtedly always very committed game of Sukowa and Kroymann, is sometimes missing. But it is thanks to his diverse and interesting character, who keeps surprising you, that this second part doesn’t eventually succumb to mediocrity.

dpa