“Merz against Merz: Weddings”
Tragicomedy with Annette Frier and Christoph Maria Herbst
Annette Frier and Christoph Maria Herbst in the feature film sequel “Weddings” of the series “Merz gegen Merz”.
© ZDF/Martin Valentin Menke
After three seasons of the comedy series “Merz gegen Merz”, Annette Frier and Christoph Maria Herbst are now fighting in the feature film sequel.
The two-time Grimme Prize winner Ralf Husmann (59), who penned the cult format “Stromberg” (2004-2012) as well as “Frau Jordan equals” (since 2019) and “Check Check” (2019-2021), is also responsible for the feature film sequel to the comedy series “Merz gegen Merz” (2019 to 2019). 2021) responsible.
And it lives up to its reputation, the 90-minute tragicomedy “Weddings” (September 28th, 8:15 p.m., ZDF) is brimming with wordplay and precisely observed everyday situations. The often completely overwhelming challenges associated with relatives becoming increasingly demented are particularly well captured. Sometimes the cynically exaggerated dialogues are funny, sometimes emotional or just tragic. From the main actors Annette Frier (49, “Danni Lowinski”), Christoph Maria Herbst (57, “Stromberg”) and their fellow actors, the TV audience hears flippant things like “Women can fake an orgasm, men can love” or thoughtful things like “Life is too difficult to live alone.”
That’s what “Merz vs. Merz: Weddings” is all about
This time, for the divorced ex-couple Anne (Frier) and Erik Merz (Herbst), it’s about the weddings of the title, or more precisely a double wedding – for Erik “the biggest nonsense since perfumed toilet paper”. Their son Leon Merz (Philip Noah Schwarz) wants to get married and, to save money, plans a joint celebration in a run-down gazebo with Grandma Renate (Carmen-Maja Antoni) and Oper Günter (Bernd Stegemann), who in turn want to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.
In addition, Erik struggles with jealousy towards Anne’s much younger lover Jonas (Nikolaus Benda) – and Anne struggles with menopause. The ex-couple reluctantly work together to deal with the embarrassment and disrespect caused by Anne’s demented father Ludwig (Michael Wittenborn) in the nursing home. At the wedding reception there is finally a showdown – including emergency medical intervention and an unplanned rapprochement between Anne and Erik…
Nomination for the Audience Award
In December 2021, ZDF confirmed that there would be no continuation of the series after three seasons. In March 2023, to the delight of fans, it was announced that a comeback in the form of a primetime television film was planned.
“Merz versus Merz: Weddings” premiered at the beginning of September at the Ludwigshafen am Rhein German Film Festival and was nominated there for the Rheingold Audience Award 2023.