3 Turks & a Baby - DVD

Movie: Brothers Celal (Kostja Ullmann), Sami (Kida Khodr Ramadan) and Mesut (Ekrem Bora aka Eko Fresh) have a problem: the bridal fashion business they inherited from their parents is barely turning a profit. Meanwhile, they're even facing eviction, which means they could not only soon be out on the street, but also lose their parents' memory. Celal blows his last chance to pay the landlord when he gambles away the last part of their inheritance at the casino. There is not much time left for the brothers to save the shop and their home. The fact that Celal now has to take care of his ex Anna's (Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen) baby after she was hit by a car doesn't suit the brothers at all. Especially since they have no idea how to change diapers and feed the baby. Soon the situation threatens to escalate into quarrels and chaos. Now the young men urgently need a rescuing idea - because otherwise their so far so strong family ties could finally break...

With 3 Turks & a baby director Sinan Akkuş (Evet, I want) presents his second feature film work. Shot in Frankfurt and the surrounding area, the comedy didn't necessarily look promising after the first trailer. Rather, first clips promised rather flat gags and an unoriginal story. Although the story is indeed rather predictable and weaves only a few ideas of its own into the very conventional plot construct, the film is altogether much more charming and funny than the trailer would have us expect. What weighs particularly positively is that Akkuş largely dispenses with the usual clichés that are all too readily employed in other German-Turkish culture-clash comedies. Of course, the cultural roots of the three brothers play a very important role. And completely the play with stereotypes and prejudices is not renounced. But all this is used in a pleasantly balanced dosage, so that the story is not completely overshadowed by it.

That does not mean, however, that the comedy offers extremely subtle humor. Many of the gags are rather simple and at times there is a bit of brute force. But Sinan Akkuş spices up even the more lowbrow moments with enough charm to keep them from any looming level lows. The actors don't deliver top performances in the chaotic hustle and bustle, but they are likeable enough to make even this small shortcoming bearable. The backdrop of Frankfurt also once again offers some really nice motifs (Bahnhofsviertel, Sachsenhausen, Alte Oper, MyZeil), in which this amusing big city comedy can embed itself perfectly.

Small guest appearances by Christoph Maria Herbst, Robert Treutel (Bodo Bach) or Rainer Ewerrien (Gods like us), the high cuteness factor of baby Clara or also the very charming subplot around Sami, Laura (Anna Böger) and a very special anti-aggression course additionally lift the entertainment value of the comedy upwards. The whole thing may not be particularly original, profound or sophisticated. But the visit to the most chaotic male flat-sharing community in Frankfurt is fun in any case. If you like to put good entertainment before high standards, you can experience 90 pleasurable minutes here, in which highs and lows are more or less in balance. And for this there is then a bottom line quite clear: worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The image of the DVD is absolutely clean and also pleases with a high image sharpness, through which even smaller details in most scenes are very good. The colour scheme is slightly alienated, but captures the atmosphere of the comedy and the beautiful filming locations in Frankfurt very well with the warm tones throughout and their powerful delivery. The sound, as is usual with this genre, is dominated primarily by the dialogue and the occasionally a little too intrusive soundtrack, but here and there there are a few well-used ambient noises or sound effects that also challenge the surround channels. Good!

Extras: The bonus offering kicks off with a somewhat chaotic, but precisely because of this extremely amusing audio commentary by director Sinan Akkuş and his three main actors. It is munched here with relish on the side and fooled around. But you also learn a lot about the shooting and get an idea of how good the atmosphere must have been there. It continues with a really good Making of (ca. 30:39 MinJ), which presents interviews and film clips as well as impressions from the casting and many shots from the shooting in Frankfurt. Plus some funny outtakes (approx. 2:13 min). Good!

Conclusion: 3 Turks & a baby is far funnier and more charming than the trailer initially makes you expect. Even if the story is not exactly original and some gags come across as arguably crude, the comedy is overall really fun. The likeable actors, the good chemistry between the three film brothers, nice guest appearances by actors like Christoph Maria Herbst and a really endearing subplot make the whole thing an entertaining, enjoyable fun, which is presented on the DVD in appealing picture and sound quality. Also successful is the bonus material, which is amusing and equally informative turned out. Recommendable

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp