Trautes Heim Glück allein - DVD

Film: Since the enormous success of Welcome to the Sch`tis Dany Boon is no longer only in France a fixed comedy size. Even if he could not repeat the very big success with the successor Nothing to declare, this comedy also enjoyed great popularity again. Reason enough to now also release his earlier directorial work Trautes Heim Glück alone in Germany. With over 5 million viewers, the comedy was a big 2006 box office hit in France. Five years later, German Dany Boon fans can now finally laugh at his house purchase of a particularly disastrous kind.

Charles Boulin (Boon) may have to put up with his wife Anne (Michèle Laroque) accusing him of spending more time with his work than with her. But the fact that he's too stingy to give her a proper wedding anniversary present is something he can't just let slide. And so the thrifty man digs deep into his pocket and lets himself be persuaded by a windy estate agent to buy a picturesque country house outside Paris. Even though the house doesn't look as wonderful as it does in the photos, Charles signs the sales contract. A fatal mistake, because the supposed dream house turns out to be a total dump that needs to be almost completely renovated. And since the workmen hired by the estate agent do more damage than they repair, Charles soon has to sell his dream city apartment to avoid going completely bankrupt. But this is only the beginning of the very big disaster.

Somewhat reminiscent of Trautes Heim Glück allein is the Tom Hanks comedy Geschenkt ist noch zu teuer. Here, as there, a supposed bargain turns out to be an absolute nightmare, straining the nerves of the new homeowners, but also the laughs of the audience. In Boon's case, it's especially the realtor's all-too-obvious rotten machinations that make for some really good laughs. But also the chaos craftsmen or the secret apartment inspection, in which Line Renaud, who should play the role of Boon's mother in the Sch`tis, delivers a wonderful performance, make the comedy a very enjoyable and entertaining fun.

However, it is also obvious in many scenes that Dany Boon was here still at the beginning of his directing career. So some gags are just a little bit too much staged to really work and especially when the chaos breaks out during the house renovation, the direction seems to be a little bit overstrained. Here, the film, which is quite charming in itself, is crushed by chaotic slapstick, which lowers the entertainment factor a bit. Also, the characters are not quite as lovingly drawn as Boon managed in The Sh`tis and, to a certain extent, Nothing to Declare.

Nonetheless, Trautes Heim Glück allein is a very amusing French comedy that perhaps only those viewers who are planning to buy a house or are currently in the midst of a house-building project should not watch - at least not until they are sitting in their completed renovated home. For it may be that the horror scenarios Boon creates here are too close to reality for some - even if the whole thing here is, of course, very obviously over the top. But if you like French comedies of the more chaotic kind and appreciate the work of Dany Boon as an actor and director, you can safely access here! Worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The image of the DVD is clean, the colors mixed strong and the sharpness is on a good level. The sound, as usual for a comedy, is primarily dominated by the dialogue, which tends to take place in the frontal area of the home theater system. However, there are some nice surround effects here and there that add a bit of dynamics to the proceedings. Overall, there is a decent for the technical implementation: good!

Extras: The DVD has just under fifty minutes of bonus material to offer. The centerpiece is the making of, which is quite extensive at 43 minutes and offers a very entertaining look behind the scenes. In addition, there are a few short cut scenes and outtakes. Optional German subtitles are available for all extras. Good!

Conclusion: Trautes Heim Glück allein is an amusing comedy that can't quite keep up with The Sh`tis or Nothing to Declare, but is still another entertaining testament to Dany Boon's comedic talent as an actor and director. The DVD offers a good picture and sound quality and has with a detailed Making of also a worth seeing extra on board. For lovers of French comedies is therefore: thoroughly recommended!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp