Angela, the single parent of Moritz, is in hospital to have a brain tumour removed. Before being admitted, she asks her neighbours, Ralph and Andi, a gay couple, to look after her son. Meddling neighbours get to hear about it and start a campaign to "save the boy from the pedophiles". The gay couple starts receiving threatening calls and even gets a stone thrown through their window. Then Angela's mother arrives to look after her grandson, the first time in many years that she has seen the boy. She clearly has a very strained relationship with her daughter. Moritz refuses to go with his grandmother; he would rather stay with Ralph and Andi.
As a subplot we have their Swiss village of Aadorf preparing for the visit of the Bundeskanzler, the Federal Chancellor. Members of the community threaten that they will disrupt this VIP's visit to complain about Moritz staying with the gay couple. And indeed, things come to a head during the Federal Chancellor's visit.
The theme of a boy moving in with a gay couple is highlighted in other films as well. Just think of 'Breakfast with Scott' (2003) where we have a young boy, who after his mother's passing away, moves in with his gay uncle and his partner. Another film with a similar theme is the excellent 'Cachorro' (aka 'Bear Cub') of 2004 in which a lad moves in with his gay uncle and his partner when his mother leaves on an overseas holiday, where, incidentally, she got arrested on drug-related charges. As is the case with 'Moritz', in 'Cachorro' the lad's grandmother also pitches up, demanding to look after the boy, and similarly the boy refuses to go with her. The main difference between 'Moritz' and the other two films mentioned, is that the emphasis in 'Moritz' is more on the response of the community to the boy staying with the gay couple.
Although in no way a bad movie, 'Moritz' is not in the same class as 'Cachoro'. I found acting by Jonas Rohr (Moritz), Anatole Taubman (Andi) and Rudolph Straub (Ralph) realistic, while the cinematography is quite good. I have some problems with the script however. Too much time is spent on the subplot, the preparations for the Bundeskanzler's visit, and that diverts attention away from the main issues being dealt with. Nevertheless, I score 'Moritz' an above average 6/10.
