Now at the Movies: #Schwarze Schafe

With "#SchwarzeSchafe", director Oliver Rihs picks up where he left off with his almost identically titled 2006 underdog comedy "Schwarze Schafe" ("Black Sheep") — fast-paced, raw, and laced with dark humor, the new film easily holds its own against its predecessor. Set during a sweltering Berlin summer, it brings together wildly different ways of life: Neukölln clan bosses, balcony-dwelling "speed bees," Spree-crab sandwiches, and carbon-neutral drug deals collide in a series of episodes that are as absurd as they are irresistible — all made without any public funding. Wether it's Jella Haase and Frederick Lau as welfare siblings-turned-entrepreneurs with a flair for the slightly illegal, marketing gender dolls, or Yasin El Harrouk as Omar, a clan heir and drug dealer with a newfound eco-mission, the mostly new cast delivers with infectious energy. Returning to their original roles are Milan Peschel as a washed-up painter now hawking sandwiches made from swamp crabs fished out of the Spree at an eco-fair, and Jule Böwe as his girlfriend Charlotte, who ferries tourists across the river. With sharp timing, bold punchlines, and a lot of heart for its eccentric losers, "#SchwarzeSchafe" paints a chaotic and anarchic portrait of big-city life. From climate change and gender debates to racism and AfD rhetoric, Oliver Rihs dives headfirst into the hot-button issues of our time — always with a soft spot for his oddball heroes.