Engel mit kleinen Fehlern: A chaotic mess of twins and lies

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, it depends on how much you like watching people sweat through a lie. If you want a light, slightly frantic afternoon watch, you'll probably enjoy it. If you need your movies to make sense or have a serious plot, skip it. It’s basically a theater farce caught on film, for better or worse. 🥨

The whole premise hinges on Max being a total disaster of a human being. He’s been taking money from his aunt Mary for two kids, but he only has one. So, naturally, he forces the kid to play dress-up and run back and forth between rooms. It’s stressful just to watch.

The pacing is… well, it’s fast. Maybe too fast? Sometimes it feels like they’re trying to sprint through a marathon. There’s a specific scene where the girl has to change outfits so quickly I actually laughed out loud. It’s physically impossible, but the movie just pretends it’s fine. I love that kind of stubbornness.

Odd little things

• The Berlin sets feel weirdly claustrophobic, like the walls are actually closing in on these characters.
• Every time the aunt walks into a room, the music shifts in a way that feels like a silent movie relic.
• There is a moment near the middle where the acting gets so broad it looks like they're performing for people in the very last row of a giant theater.

It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in Speak Easily. Both movies rely on the idea that if you just keep moving, nobody will notice the plot is falling apart. It’s a bold strategy.

The actors are definitely trying their best, though. Grethe Weiser has this look on her face for most of the film that says, "I know this is ridiculous, but we're doing it anyway." I respect that commitment to the bit. It’s not quite as charming as The Matinee Idol, but it has its own weird, jittery personality.

Don't look for deep meaning here. It’s a movie about a lie that gets way too big, way too fast. Sometimes the best thing a movie can do is just be a silly distraction. It’s not a masterpiece. It’s just a funny, loud, slightly messy time. 🎞️