It is the classic tale: a woman caught between two men. Ete-somewhat shy and scatterbrained-lost his wife to another man with a higher income while he was away doing his military service. A well know problem in the GDR. Together with his buddy Ali, he attempts to win her back. The very young cast delivers charming performances, aided by the sharp, witty dialogue of a well-crafted script. At the same time, it is a buddy comedy with a roguish, boyish charm. The filmmakers chose small towns like Pasewalk-located in the remote provinces of former East Germany-as locations, rather than the major cities that have already been filmed countless times. The visuals revealing a certain provincial bleakness. But rest assured, it never becomes truly depressing.

German cinema is famous for its historical depth, expressionist aesthetics, and social-political engagement. It has moved from Expressionism to political reckoning, from New German Cinema's raw realism to contemporary genre experiments. Its legacy lies in both technical innovation and deep explorations of history, morality, and philosophy.

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

Ete and Ali make a brave attempt to convince Ete's estranged wife to take him back. The two men have finished their military service, and when they go to Ete's hometown together they discover that his wife is being courted by another man.

Künstlerische Arbeitsgruppe "Johannisthal"

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

See which big screen releases you can watch from the comfort of your couch.

Theatrical Releases Coming to Streaming

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Streaming Stars, Then and Now

Pasewalk, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany

Mary Badham, Robert Carradine, John Carter Cash, Darby Hinton, Rebecca Holden, Julie Kashmanian, Kristen Berlett, Shane Hagedorn, Jason Brown, Michael Tuthill, Eliza Kelley, Jordan Miller, Paige Smith, and Richie Acevedo in Was Once a Hero (2024)

Aure Atika, Clovis Cornillac, Laurent Stocker, and Pauline Clément in Forced Vacation (2025)

Ete und Ali

Photos

Top Cast11

User reviews1

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed