"Mein Weg zu Dir" is a German television film from 2003, so this one is getting closer to its 20th anniversary not and if you wait a little before you show up here and read my review, then it most likely happened already. Not a date to be proud of though because it would have been better for everybody if this film had never been made, especially for those that have seen it. I would like to remove my memoray from seeing it today. Unreal anyway that this mess is still on national television so many years after its original release, even if it was not a prestigious slot or anything. Still shows you what they do with your GEZ money. Showing this again and again over 15 years later costs them exactly zero. Director here was Olaf Kreinsen who turned 60 last year. Fairly prolific director, but his body of work is all quantity over quality, especially what he came up with in the new millennium. And also in the 2010s that are defined by SOKO (terrible police series that take place in several cities) for him. Highly unlikely that a film can turn out nicely if he is in charge. Two writers and it seems they brought out the worst in each other. Maureen Herzfeld was born in Uruguay, but has only worked on German stuff since she started her career back at the very end of the old millennium. Pretty weak body of work too and kinda sad she got to be in charge of the latest Krüger film. She frequently collaborated with Martin Kluger just like she did here, even now considerably later. Kinda shocking they still get picked to come up with screenplays because I see no creative writing whatsoever in their bodies of work. Then again, here we have another ARD Degeto film and this means that good storytelling is the last thing you can expect here. Then again, Kluger's first two works are not entirely bad, but seems he sacrificed all creativity he once had for making a few bucks quickly. By the way, this movie here runs for 1.5 hours, minimally under, just like they always do.
There is not too much to say about the cast here. Lead actress is Johanna-Christine Gehlen and I have seen her (play the lead) in other projects too. No range or versatility whatsoever to her, two or three different face expressions per movies and those exact same two or three in every movie too. She turned 50 last year and is career-wise exactly where she was back then with recent performances in Utta Danella adaptations, Soko Stuttgart and Das Traumschiff. Plain terrible. I guess they are playing the Veronica Ferres card because she resembles her a bit and she is not much younger than Ferres, just a few years. Anyway, I think she is just as poor as Thomalla, Neubauer and the many others who got picked to play "strong female lead character" despite a complete absence of talent. As for the supporting cast, Pierre Besson is an actor that some may remember, but nothing good to him either. He has been in so many weak movies. Sadly, this also applies at least partially to Hans-Peter Korff. He's one I kinda like, but him accepting roles in all these horrible movies does not make it easy for me. He turns 80 next year by the way. There's more I could mention, but the last name I want to write a few words about is Ramona Kunze-Libnow. Really good for her she managed to make it to Stromberg, but these very small parts she has had in all kinds of ARD Degeto films are absolutely nothing to be proud of honestly. She also shows up in here, but really briefly only. So yeah, I could also say a few words about others because they are experienced, have been in a lot and also had more amount screen time here than some of those I mentioned, but I just don't want to. Their faces or names do not seem familiar and, as I just said, the fact that they agree to act in films like these says nothing positive about them at all.
On we go. The title here means "My way to you", which could not be any more general, basic and random than it is. Complete joke and not a good one. Of course, this is linked to romance, but it also could be about an estranged child making a connection (again) with one of its parents or so. Absolutely uninspired. So it fits nicely for this film you could say. As an ARD Degeto production, of course you also get the full shovel of anti-male hatred as usual. Take her evil boss and how he is depicted, but most of all take Gehlen's character herself. Let's not forget that she is in a relationship here and yet she starts seeing another guy and soon makes out with him. If a man did the same in such a film, he would be the despicable key antagonist. But of course the female protagonist here easily gets away with such a behavior because her original partner did not worship her enough as his queen, because it's true love with the new guy etc. These are always the same explanations used in these movies mostly made for female audiences. I applaud every female that sees through this mess. Away from this anti-male propaganda, the story also could not be any bigger nonsense. let me just do some brainstorming for the rest of my review on where it sucked the most. The idea that a woman working for a big ministry here in Germany would randomly drive to the countryside to convince a simple group of villagers to agree to the building of a big road is absurd enough. Funnily, the sacrifice this entire idea themselves eventually when they say who cares about all that happened before, let's just build the road anyway without their consent. Awesome. This is by the way the pseudo drama you always find around the 70-minute mark in those films where everything seems to collapse. Also in terms of relationship because the two lovebirds are separated at that point and never will get together again. Of course not. But luckily an elderly woman from the village goes to the city to convince her to give this guy another chance. The entire idea of the breakup and what it resulted from, namely Gehlen randomly listening to a conversation from the mailman, was absurd enough. Pseudo drama of the worst kind. Oh yes, the entire idea with said mailman and his desire to deliver a love letter was also gooey nonsense beyond belief.
So everything was unwatchable here, the key moments and scene as well as the small moment. A few examples now. Take the scene in which the two meet very early on and characters have so often harmless car accidents in these films that it is just ridiculous. And don't even get me started on the wounded bird there. Honestly, I felt bad for the animal they used in this scene. Also so ridiculous when he talks her into holding the bord for a little moment. And they were so proud of this cringeworthy inclusion that they return to it right before the closing credits roll in. We know that the road cannot be build because of environmental concerns about that bird. Oh and we find out that Gehlen's character went to brussels because of that to make a legal impact. I don't even. It was days. That is not possible at all. Utter nonsense. Makes just as much sense as how she apparently went away from her original workplace, the ministry she was busy with and easily got into the ministry for environment if I understood correctly. Really, all they were shoving into the audiences faces here is so absurd that it is totally disgraceful that they wnat people to believe anything you see here. For the stupid and easily entertained 100%. As for the small moments: "I drank your wine and now I understand your dreams and secrets." This is a quote from this movie, one they were also proud enough of to include it twice. Or when the two lovebirds talk and she almost mentioned her boyfriend at home (they always do) and then acts as if she was talking about a minister who had a similar name. Another cringeworthy moment I can only shake my head at. Same applies to how we see the two are making a conenction quickly and make fun of a kinda nice girl (much more attractive than Gehlen by the way) who talks about her Abitur (A-levels), so we understand that the dude is way to cool for her, the young woman, but only a classy woman like Gehlen's character could fit him. Or how he carries around Gehlen's character on one occasions as if he saved her from something because she cannot / does not want to walk. What a stud!
I could go on and one about scenes and quotes from this film that felt really off. Take the tractor in the city, take the older guy whose wife goes to the city to save the situation, take her original boyfriend showing up there (after his mother ordered him to) calling her fat (LOL!) when she is stomping on the grapes, take her becoming of course the wine queen during this celebration, take her holding these two figures (from the model) and this was especially cringeworthy with the romantic statement they were going for there. Alright, enough now. The worst about this movie is really that they are 100% serious with it all. They are actting as if they deliver some groundbreakingly touching love story here. Unreal stuff. They clearly do not possess one bit of the writing talent honestly to make it work and sometimes try to make up for it through loud and annoying pseudo important music (frequently high-pitched female voices) from the soundtrack. The acting is over the top at times, sometimes pretty ham (Gehlen especially), but also the others like the woman who asks her twice if she loves him when her initial response is something the elderly lady will not accept. Also pretty funny how they quickly accept the woman into their circle with how initially they seem to be against her. Very much so. Nothing about this film makes sense, nothing feels authentic. It is also extremely bland visually despite the fairly beautiful region where it is set. I just cannot come up with anything positive about this film at all. It may sound harsh, but it's accurate. Oh yes, there is something positive. They never turned this into a series or made a sequel. Thank God. It has been this much of a mess. Highly not recommended.
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