Lilly Schönauer - Liebe mit Hindernissen

Dream Note

Welcome to the most stress-inducing family weekend since your cousin brought his new girlfriend to Thanksgiving and she turned out to be your ex. Laura, a young fashion designer whose professional life is presumably far more stylish than her personal one is about to become, is floating on cloud nine after discovering an engagement ring that her boyfriend Alexander apparently left lying around like a hopeful little landmine of domestic bliss. Naturally, she assumes that their upcoming visit to his parents' house is going to be the official 'will you marry me' moment, because who wouldn't jump to that conclusion when there's jewelry involved and a family trip on the calendar? Spoiler alert: literally everything that can go wrong with this scenario does, with the enthusiasm of a dumpster fire at a fireworks factory. First up to bat is Alexander's mother, a woman whose confidence could power a small European nation and whose opinion of Laura appears to hover somewhere between 'not good enough' and 'who let you in.' This matriarchal force of judgment makes Laura feel about as welcome as a stain on a white carpet, which is honestly impressive dedication to the art of passive-aggressive hostility. But wait, there's more! As if a disapproving future mother-in-law wasn't sufficient to transform this romantic getaway into an anxiety marathon, enter Susanne – Alexander's ex-girlfriend, who has apparently decided that the best use of her weekend is to systematically dismantle every shred of comfort Laura has left by pursuing Alexander with the determination of a heat-seeking missile at a target convention. The film is essentially a masterclass in how quickly a fairy tale can transform into a horror story when you add family dynamics and romantic history to the mix. It's the kind of movie that makes you want to call your partner and confirm that their ex is NOT currently plotting a comeback tour.