What do women do at half past three in the morning?

Content: The life of Franzi Schwanthaler (Brigitte Hobmeier) really revolves around her daughter Marie (Emma Priesendanz) and working in the bakery of her father Josef (Peter Lerchbaumer). But when he suffers a heart attack and Franzi has to take care of the bakery on her own, she makes a shocking discovery: the family business is so heavily in debt that it is almost impossible to pay off the debts. In addition, a branch of a baking chain has just opened in the small Bavarian village, stealing the Schwanthalers' all-important customers with its dumping prices. The arrival of Franzi's older sister Carmen (Muriel Baumeister) from Berlin doesn't make things any easier, as the two women constantly clash due to their completely different lifestyles. But just when all hope seems lost and Franzi is thinking of giving up, she comes up with the saving idea - and it's called globalization...

What do women do at half past three in the morning? director Matthias Kiefersauer has staged a very charming mixture of drama and comedy, which deals with topics such as globalization, tradition and family in a very entertaining way. Carried by the two likeable leading actresses Brigitte Hobmeier and Muriel Baumeister, who are supported by no less convincing supporting actors, the film tells its story in a pleasantly light way that never seems silly or flat. Yet the initial situation is not really amusing. For the disappearance of smaller traditional shops, some of which have been family-owned for generations, by internationally operating chains whose dumping prices make customers overlook lack of quality, is unfortunately a sad reality everywhere.

It is to Kiefersauer's credit that he has not made a crushing consternation film out of this subject matter, but a rather light-footed comedy, which comes up with a few more dramatic moments at just the right moments. It's true that the character sketches and the conflicts between the characters aren't particularly original, but rather heavily predictable and even extremely clichéd in places. Still, the movie works very well until the last third. Only towards the end it becomes noticeable that the comedy, which was made with the support of BR and ARD Degeto, was forced into a TV corset that is a little too tight at 90 minutes.

Because while the film takes a lot of time at the beginning to introduce the characters and build up the dramaturgy, the finale feels very rushed. All the conflicts are resolved, yet at the end you're left with the feeling that something is missing. A few more minutes to bring the story to a more mature end would have strengthened the overall impression, which is very positive in itself. So Was machen Frauen morgens um halb vier (What do women do at half past three in the morning) is good and entertaining entertainment with small flaws, which friends of likeable German comedies with a slight Bavarian local color should not miss. Worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The picture has a fairly decent image sharpness, which could have been quite a bit better, especially in darker scenes. Colors are very powerfully matched and come off particularly well in the Dubai playing scenes. The sound is appropriate for the story rather restrained, although the dialogue sounds clearly understandable from the speakers. There are no major surround moments, however. Overall, however, there is still a satisfied: Good!

Extras: As a bonus, the DVD has in addition to the trailer to the film interviews with leading actress Brigitte Hobmeier (approx. 4:13 min.), producer Martin Choroba and executive producer Franziska An der Gassen (approx. 4:19 min.), director Matthias Kiefersauer (approx. 4:57 min.) and actor Thomas Unger (approx. 4:38 min.). The interviewees then have to undergo a baked goods test (approx. 1:29 min.), in which they have to distinguish between discounters and quality bakeries. Finally, there is the trailer for the film.

Conclusion: What do women do at half past three in the morning? is an entertaining mixture of drama and comedy, which can score with a sympathetic cast and some very nice ideas. The rather clichéd moments and the somewhat rushed ending only slightly tarnish the positive overall impression. The DVD presents the film in adequate picture and sound quality and also has a few insightful promo interviews on board as a bonus. If you like charming German comedies with a bit of Bavarian local color, this is a safe bet. Recommendable

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp