Two to One
Set in East Germany on the eve of the country’s reunification, writer-director Natja Brunckhorst’s ensemble comedy Two to One sees a group of lifelong friends discover piles upon piles of Ostmarks stored in an underground bunker. Although they initially believe the bills are completely worthless, they discover that the money can still be exchanged for three more days, albeit at the reduced rate of two to one. The group hatch a scheme with help from their friends and neighbours in their apartment building to acquire goods to improve their small community. Despite its delightfully playful opening act, this movie quickly loses focus of both its plot and themes.
The thieves are husband and wife Maren and Robert (Sandra Hüller and Max Riemelt), alongside close friend Volker (Ronald Zehrfeld). They’re also joined by Peter Kurth as Robert’s endearingly grouchy father, the one responsible for sneaking them into the government facility. Each actor injects plenty of heart into the flick as they bounce off one another with a great sense of humour. Brunckhorst leans into this light-hearted dynamic with a smile and wink, making for a delightful introduction to the main players.
Once the boxes of commodities begin to stack up in the apartments, the script begins to find its footing as the plot moves forward. However, this sense of direction is frustratingly short-lived. The group’s plan hits a snag when greed causes some of the neighbours to bicker over how the cash should be divided. Before the film has a moment to digest this newfound exploration of communism versus capitalism, another plot point is thrown into the works after the arrival of the three-day deadline causes them to find a new means of spending the money. The plot continues to pinball its way through half a dozen other story beats until the feature arrives at its conclusion. With little in the way of conflict or drama developing throughout the almost two-hour runtime, the characters’ plan feels inconsequential by the time the credits roll. A lacklustre love triangle introduced between the three protagonists likewise adds little to the overarching narrative.
Although a lack of conflict and focus often leaves Two to One feeling like a missed opportunity, its strong central performances and heartfelt execution provide enough charm to make for an entertaining time.
Andrew Murray
Two to One is released in select cinemas on 2nd May 2025.
Watch the trailer for Two to One here:
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