Jonas - DVD

Film: Who hasn't had this terrible nightmare after graduation: you're suddenly sitting in your old classroom again, a paper is being written or homework is being asked and you're not prepared. Then it's there again, that uneasy feeling that always made itself known when you had to go to the front of the blackboard and were forced to reveal your ignorance in front of the whole class. But luckily, those are just nightmares and you'd have to be quite the idiot to make them a reality again. Fortunately for all viewers, such an idiot has now been found in Christian Ulmen, because in his documentary comedy Jonas he pushes the school desk once again as an 18-year-old.

With the help of his make-up artists significantly rejuvenated Ulmen becomes the Sitzenbleiber Jonas, who is given one last chance at the Paul Dessau Comprehensive School in Berlin. In a few weeks of testing, he is supposed to prove to the teachers that he is serious about his desire to graduate and that his previously poor performance will improve significantly. Integrating himself into the class community is also an important part of this test. Jonas succeeds very well in the latter, starting his own band project after just a few days. But while it rocks musically, completely unnecessary things like logarithm rules just won't go through his head. And then he falls in love with his music teacher Frau Maschke. How is a young person supposed to be able to concentrate?

For six weeks the Jonas team filmed at a real school with real pupils and teachers. Christian Ulmen always pretended to be his artificial character Jonas and thus integrated himself directly into everyday school life. Even though the film doesn't reveal how much of the whole thing is staged and to what extent the students and teachers were aware of Jonas' true identity, the whole thing works surprisingly well. For as with previous formats such as Mein neuer Freund, whose director Robert Wilde again pulled the strings in the background, Ulmen melts into his role in such a way that one is quite inclined to be able to understand why he was also accepted as Jonas at school.

It is pleasing that Jonas, unlike ulmen.tv or Mein neuer Freund is not out to provoke. Sure, there are always moments when Ulmen gets his opponent to let a funny situation arise. Nevertheless, this kind of modern Feuerzangenbowle is more about observing and reminding the viewer of his own school days. And so there are scenes again and again, which most of us might have experienced in exactly the same or similar way. Well, the film could be accused of showing a very glossed over picture of the current school system. Because here there are no real conflicts, the students are largely well-behaved and interested in learning. Bullying, violence, integration problems, disillusioned teachers on the verge of bourn-out - you look for all that here in vain. And yet: Jonas is realistic. Because even if some important problematic issues - which would also have been out of place in such a comedic format - are left out, essential school experiences are captured very well.

Whether genuine or partially staged, Jonas is quite a lot of fun, even because the film is not always a pleasant journey back in time to one's own youth and has the one or other Fremdschämmoment to offer. and once again proof of the formats in which Christian Ulmen is simply in his element. Thus, the transfer is in no way endangered!

Picture + Sound: The documentary-style film presents itself on the DVD in appropriate quality. The clean image is quite sharp in most scenes, colors are consistent, and aside from a few minor lagging effects during faster pans, there is little to complain about. The audio remains largely subdued, but absolutely does justice to the documentary style of the film. Good!

Extras: The DVD has over 100 minutes of extras to offer. The whole thing starts with a very amusing and insightful audio commentary by Christian Ulmen and director Robert Wilde. The two not only provide some very amusing moments, but also offer the interested listener some interesting details about the filming, the selection of the school and the extent to which teachers and students were informed about the project. A good commentary that is really worth listening to.

Continues with a short film of the premiere party (approx. 3 min.), as well as an interesting look at test shots with Christian Ulmen in a fatsuit. Here the viewer gets to see that the first idea for the film was completely different from the school project. And even if one has to congratulate the make-up artists and also Ulmen for their performance, it becomes clear in the 6 minutes of this short documentary that it was a good decision to decide against this idea.

In addition, the DVD has to offer an interview with Helge Schneider on the subject of school (approx. 5:30), as well as with Christian Ulmen about his make-up (approx. 1:30). The bulk of the bonus material, however, is made up of extensive interviews with students and teachers at the school where the film was shot, as well as with Christian Ulmen and producer Detlev Buck. In a total of 82 minutes, they talk not only about the film, but about everyday life at the schools, the work of the teachers as well as frustrations, wishes and dreams of the students.

That's not all: finally, the viewer gets short outtakes (about 3 min.), as well as an additional scene (about 2 min.) and the trailer offered. A lush and really interesting bonus package. Very good!

Conclusion: It doesn't really matter how much of Jonas is real now, and how much is staged. This sometimes painful reminder of your own school days is just fun, especially as Christian Ulmen once again blends perfectly with his alter ego and delivers some truly great moments. Despite a few hangs and little moments of embarrassment, this is a very amusing film that is well worth seeing. The DVD is technically well produced and the bonus material leaves hardly anything to be desired. And exactly for it there is then also one: Absolutely recommendable!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp