Muxmäuschenstill

Probably the most accurate depiction of the German state of mind I've ever seen - a concise low-budget look at our society's lack of self-restraint which results in a secret desire for strong men who tell us what to do - maybe not just in Germany.

A self-declared crusader against all the small ills of today takes it upon himself to punish speeders, public urinators, exhibitionists and the like in such a way as to educate them to respect public order. He hires an unemployed simpleton to chronicle his gradual decent from a not entirely unsympathetic maniac to a celebrated madman.

While the hand camera and grainy images make for a cheap look, the brevity of the scenes and the punchlines from start to a drastic finish add up to a singular camera language with its own very special kind of humour. The lead actor wrote the script and therefore it's no wonder that his part suits him like a glove.

If you usually don't like German or European movies for their (supposed) braininess, try this one for clever entertainment with a message not too heavily handed.