Today, Dani Levy's new film Das Leben Ist Zu Lang (Life Is Too Long) opens nationwide across Germany.
More than one critic has already compared Levy's new film to the comedies of Woody Allen. Like Allen, Levy, too is Jewish, and so is alter ego in his new film, Alfi Seliger, played by Markus Hering. More than this, Seliger, like Allen, wears glasses.
Any questions?
In Life Is Too Long, Seliger is on a downwards spiral, professionally and personally. Levy obviously has a field day poking fun at Seliger's many mishaps while along the way, these cause Seliger to reflect on his life and its meaning.
I don't think it's presumptuous to assume that Levy's new film - besides being inspired by Allen's work - also contains some autobiographical clues about Levy's own life, although Levy's rather successful career can in no way be compared to that of the unfortunate Seliger. Levy's film, Alles auf Zucker (Go For Zucker, Germany 2005) swept the Germen Film Awards in 2006, garnering no less than six major awards. Levy's last, Mein Fuehrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler (Germany 2007), was a succes de scandale (or would calling it a succes d'estime be more to the point ...?) for being the first - German - film to treat the subject of Hitler comically rather than in a critical and serious context, although it was later widely agreed that Levy's film was way too tame and lacked, in fact, a dash of irreverence. So as if he hadn't dared to go were no one - in his home turf, at least - had gone before.
For Life Is Too Long Levy has assembled an impressive cast, including Meret Becker, Veronica Ferres - who plays a Russian ding-dong willing to do everything for a part - Heino Ferch, and, of all people: Elke Sommer, who came out of her retirement in Beverly Hills to participate in Levy's film.
For a trailer (in German) of Life Is Too Long, please click here!
