"Late Show" is not the piece of art that "Rossini", Dietl's last movie, was. But I'm not sure if we should feel sorry about this. Maybe a topic like cable-TV deserves to be treated in this loud and aggressive way. This is "Kalkhofes Mattscheibe" for the big screen. But although LS is not a masterpiece, it's funny and its satirical arrows mostly hit the point. It's good comedy treating more than relationships, something seldom produced by German moviemakers.
The acting is surprisingly good. Even Gottschalk manages it this time, although it is no challenge to play oneself. The real discovery of this movie is Harald Schmidt if you consider that overacting was the task given to him. Note: If you hate Schmidt, don't watch this movie, but it's a must for everyone who misses "Schmidteinander". Minor roles were casted and played well, especially Pfaff was superb, transporting a sad and desperate tone into the film. Yasmin Tabatabai presents the evilest looking make-up in a movie I've ever seen. Oh- and a law should maybe be passed that hinders directors from casting their girlfriends.
After all, together with "23" a good start into '99 for German cinema.
PS. Enjoy the opening critics, but don't try to read them.
