Welcome to the Westerwald - DVD

Film: For the Iraqi asylum seeker Ahmad (Pasquale Aleardi) the future is more than uncertain. His residency status in Germany is on very shaky ground after a couple of minor misdemeanours, so his accommodation in a home for asylum seekers in the Westerwald could be the last stop before deportation. But then he meets the pub owner Katja (Lisa Martinek) in the nearby village of Weilershagen and a very special bond quickly develops between the two of them through Ahmad's passion for American line dancing. But not only Katja is enchanted by the dancing Iraqi. In the whole village a real line dance euphoria spreads. Especially village policeman Ulli (Johann von Bülow), who has been in love with Katja since childhood, is happy about the fresh wind Ahmad has brought into the village. But when he notices that more is developing between the charming asylum seeker and his secret love than just a mere friendship, his jealousy threatens to put an abrupt end not only to the line dancing, but also to Ahmad's stay in Germany...

Willkommen im Westerwald is by now the 14th entry in the Ausgezeichnet DVD series, which stands for quality and entertainment at a high level. That this also applies to a comedy and just not only to sophisticated dramas, proves the film by Tomy Wigand (The Flying Classroom) with a lot of charm, wit and heart. The idea that an Iraqi asylum seeker, of all people, brings new life to a village in the Westerwald with American line dancing is extremely amusing and original. Certainly, the realization uses here and there some quite worn-out clichés, but also lets fresh and funny ideas flow in just as often.

With a good-humored ensemble of actors and dance interludes that make you want to put on your cowboy boots and do a brisk line dance yourself, Welcome to the Westerwald offers 90 minutes of really good entertainment. However, the story seems a bit rushed in some moments. Although there is not a minute of boredom, but some development of the characters and the story would have been better understandable if Wigand could have taken a little more time to elaborate the whole thing a little better.

But overall the positive overall impression prevails. The film makes good mood, is never too silly or too cheesy and even if the very big surprises are missing, the comedy provides great pleasure until the end. If you like German TV comedies with heart and humor, you can safely access here. Worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The technical implementation of the DVD is exactly on the level that can be expected from a fairly recent TV production. The picture is clean, the warm colors very engaging mixed and the image sharpness can please especially in the bright scenes. The stereo sound allows the dialogue and the occasionally very catchy soundtrack to come across properly. For a television comedy absolutely satisfactory!

Extras: Except for information on the series Excellent, the DVD has no bonus material to offer.

Conclusion: Welcome to the Westerwald is a nice TV comedy that boasts likeable actors and a charming story. Although the action seems a bit rushed due to the typical television format of 90 minutes, but overall the positive impression prevails, which conjures up more than once a pleasant smile on the face of the viewer. It doesn't bother much that the technically well-made DVD doesn't have any extras to offer. If you appreciate likeable German comedies with original ideas, you should definitely take a trip to the Westerwald. Recommendable

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp