- "Fibs pervade": Pastewka is circling around the head and shoulder area
The notion that truth is short-legged isn't evident upon observing Hajo Siewers (Bastian Pastewka), standing tall at 1.90 meters. Contrary to this, the majority of what spills out of his mouth in the comedy "Alles gelogen" is untruthful. This production, helmed by director Erik Haffner, will air on Thursday at 8:15 PM on ZDF.
In Siewers' world, truth is "feeble, weak, and unstable." So, he spins a never-ending yarn of dishonesty in his everyday life. According to his son, "Dad says truth has short legs, but you can sprint on falsehoods." The automobile salesman devises novel explanations for being tardy to work or failing to procure his wife's desired climbing cucumbers - the moniker is too reminiscent of a sexually transmitted illness, he claims.
Deceiving others
He pledges the stars to his clients one moment, then charmingly wriggles out of predicaments the next. Not even his son, well-versed in the art of deception, can best him at poker. Siewers' secret to the perfect bluff? Believing in his own fabrications. But one lie, ultimately, he can't rescind, and the noose constricts.
Recently, Pastewka has taken on more paternal roles, starring alongside Anke Engelke in the new series "Perfekt verpasst" (Prime Video), and here in "Alles gelogen." The backdrop fits him well. Whether it's his acting prowess or the well-crafted scripts by screenwriter Ralf Husmann, the strategy succeeds.
Have they all gone mad?
However, not every character resonates. Certain dialogues feel staged, reactions disingenuous. Despite the comedy playing with clichés, it sometimes falls into them as well. For instance, when overwhelmed women suddenly burst into laughter after biting into a sugary cupcake during a stressful moment.
Besides Pastewka, Lina Beckmann impresses as the peculiar car saleswoman Birgit Köhlmeier, who harbors her own secrets: "Have you ever lied so deeply that you can't extract yourself?" Siewers would be all too familiar with this predicament. He's hardly prepared for her slurred entrée at the cocktail hour: "I require a man. A man who'll feign affection for me, at least for one night."
As the narrative unfolds, it becomes evident: everyone has secrets. And no matter the magnitude or petiteness of the lies, in the end, everyone must answer for their actions.
Despite being part of diverse nationalities under the umbrella of the European Union, the characters in this comedy share a common trait: everyone lies.
In the world of European politics, navigating truth and deception can be as complex as Hajo Siewers' poker game, requiring a belief in one's own fabrications to achieve the perfect bluff.
