German remakes of foreign language films are currently booming. Substances that can be relatively easily transferred to another national environment appear particularly suitable for this purpose. Prominent examples from recent years include “The First Name” (2018) and “The Perfect Secret” (2019). The former was based on a French comedy from 2012 and already has two sequels: “The Last Name” (2022) and “The Nickname”. The latter is the German version of an Italian original from 2016, which has now served as a source for more than 20 (!) international versions. “Celebrations & Friends – Cheers to us!“ is now the remake of the Danish film “Long Story Short” from 2015, which didn’t make it into our cinemas at the time.
Compared to the chamber play-like films “The First Name” and “The Perfect Secret,” the dramedy offers a few more locations, but it has an ensemble of different types in common. The special thing about it: The remake follows the development of the characters over a period of three years – but only during certain celebrations such as birthdays or weddings. The gaps in time between the gatherings of the circle of friends can easily be filled by the audience themselves – and the concept in “Festivals & Friends” by David Dietl largely works in other respects too.
Of course, a wedding shouldn't be missing from the seven celebratory events in “Celebrations & Friends”.
Let's start with the party round on New Year's Eve 2019. When Ellen (Laura Tonke) shows up at the New Year's party that is taking place at Natalie's (Jasmin Shakeri) and Maya's (Katia Fellin) home, she is currently having an affair with Sebastian (Ronald Zehrfeld), of whom she hopes for more than he is willing to give. In any case, he doesn't want to separate from his wife Eva (Antje Traue). And while things already seem to be breaking down in the marriage of Mareike (Annette Frier) and Adam (Trystan Pütter), things are just beginning to crackle between Rolf (Nicholas Ofczarek) and Diana (Pegah Ferydoni).
Max (Henning Flüsloh) is also invited. But he can't make up his mind because he's lovesick and prefers to hang around downstairs in front of the house. Would he possibly be a match for Ellen, who at some point leaves the celebration slightly frustrated and bumps into Max? And so it goes from one celebration to the next, sometimes more, sometimes less cheerfully, some of which will also be dedicated to the Corona epidemic. New developments, entanglements and lines of conflict are constantly emerging. There is love, laughter, tears, arguments and not every relationship crisis is overcome. Joy and sorrow are particularly close together here due to the time jumps. So you won't get bored.
Entertaining diversity
Ellen, who is looking for love and fulfillment and is played with verve by Laura Tonke, emerges as a somewhat highlighted character. Under the direction of David Dietl (“King of Germany”), son of the film and television director Helmut Dietl (“Schtonk!”), who died in 2015, the other members of the circle of friends also get enough space. Not only do they represent different characters, diversity is also evident in their relationships. The gentle Dina and the nice Rolf are the newly in love couple, Adam and Mareike, who constantly reprimand her somewhat scatterbrained husband, the one who is drifting apart.
With Eva and the cheating writer Sebastian, she has the independent and financially better-off role, while the fun-loving and direct Natalie and the more reserved Maya represent two relationship types. On the one hand, they embody the only non-heteronormative relationship here, but at the same time they form a couple with varying levels of desire to have children.
Ellen (Laura Tonke) no longer feels as comfortable at friends' meetings as she used to since she started an affair with the married Sebastian.
Even the occasions for the meetings provide variety. Sometimes it's a wedding, sometimes it's a baptism that brings the circle of friends together. Other times you meet illegally in the park for a birthday party during the Corona period, or you move into shared holiday accommodation by the sea in the summer. And, yes, there is also a funeral service. In general, Dietl and screenwriter Elena Senft subject their audience to a constant rollercoaster of emotions. Your film may not be completely free of clichés, some things seem exaggerated, others a bit flat. Why does Adam always have to act decidedly clumsy? And the fact that Ellen, under the influence of frustration and alcohol, wants to show off her “beautiful vagina” while eating at summer camp is one step too many.
However, most of the situations are well shot and seem quite realistic. The same applies to many dialogues. For example, the artfully disguised banter between Ellen and Sebastian about their affair, while everyone else, including his wife, is sitting at the table. Or when Adam finally vents his pent-up anger and – alluding to an earlier incident – throws the sentence “You're not Hawaii, you're Hanover!” at Mareike about her condescending manner and the not exactly excellent reputation of the Lower Saxony capital .
Conclusion: Ten friends, three years, seven celebrations and a funeral – David Dietl's remake of a Danish ensemble film invites you to a lively, only occasionally bumpy emotional rollercoaster ride with a well-rounded cast.