When I rented this mess, I neglected to notice that it was released worldwide by Columbia Pictures-Sony. As soon as I saw this on the screen, I knew what I was in for: yet another formulaic Hollywood-style 'comedy' (excuse the expression) dressed up in the German language.
Advertising Rules (AKA Viktor Vogel) is only occasionally funny, and is full of American references and 'comic situations' (we've seen similar scenes in roughly 500 'comedies,' give or take, churned out by Hollywood in the past 20 years alone). Included in the usual suspect list are some of the same weary visual clichés that are varied in Advertising Rules only slightly (attempt at 'freshness' I guess) -- there's the frantic (and obligatory) out-of-control car crash, a chase in a supermarket (complete with dumbkopf cops), a brawl that ends up in garbage heap, a 'hero' (hapless of course, what else?) who gets smacked in the kisser at least four times, a hero who demonstrates the use of a chainsaw and -- what a shock!! -- sees it go out of control and destroy a table. I could go on and on (vacuous insights into the world of advertising; crusty veteran ad man throws young wannabe on his keister in the opening scenes, ends up being a father figure toward the end; sweet-as-candy, talented Hepburnesque gamin falls for dorky 'hero').
You've seen it all before. Here it is again, replete with German voices. The same movie could easily have been made in Hollywood (maybe a remake is already underway -- something with, say, Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell or Jack Black as the lead actor and Drew Barrymore, Gwyneth Paltrow or Katie Holmes as the ever-so-sweet love interest.
If you're like me (i.e. long ago fed up with derivative, repetitive, juvenile 12-20 age-group drivel that passes for 'adult' comedy in Hollywood), you'll be more vigilant in selecting films that are released internationally by major American studios. If you don't, what you'll almost inevitably get is yet another Hollywood movie with very 'safe,' by-the-numbers story lines. Exhibit 'A' is this film.
Advertising Rules (AKA Viktor Vogel) is only occasionally funny, and is full of American references and 'comic situations' (we've seen similar scenes in roughly 500 'comedies,' give or take, churned out by Hollywood in the past 20 years alone). Included in the usual suspect list are some of the same weary visual clichés that are varied in Advertising Rules only slightly (attempt at 'freshness' I guess) -- there's the frantic (and obligatory) out-of-control car crash, a chase in a supermarket (complete with dumbkopf cops), a brawl that ends up in garbage heap, a 'hero' (hapless of course, what else?) who gets smacked in the kisser at least four times, a hero who demonstrates the use of a chainsaw and -- what a shock!! -- sees it go out of control and destroy a table. I could go on and on (vacuous insights into the world of advertising; crusty veteran ad man throws young wannabe on his keister in the opening scenes, ends up being a father figure toward the end; sweet-as-candy, talented Hepburnesque gamin falls for dorky 'hero').
You've seen it all before. Here it is again, replete with German voices. The same movie could easily have been made in Hollywood (maybe a remake is already underway -- something with, say, Ben Stiller, Will Ferrell or Jack Black as the lead actor and Drew Barrymore, Gwyneth Paltrow or Katie Holmes as the ever-so-sweet love interest.
If you're like me (i.e. long ago fed up with derivative, repetitive, juvenile 12-20 age-group drivel that passes for 'adult' comedy in Hollywood), you'll be more vigilant in selecting films that are released internationally by major American studios. If you don't, what you'll almost inevitably get is yet another Hollywood movie with very 'safe,' by-the-numbers story lines. Exhibit 'A' is this film.