100 Dinge (2018)

Paul and Toni, who have competed with each other over various things since childhood—including Paul’s parents’ attention and a classmate’s affection—and now, as adults, the esteem of the employees at a Berlin-based IT start-up, are two materialists raised in central Germany. The film begins with parallel editing to introduce the two protagonists: Paul is the “chaotic” slob, who overconsumes out of frustration—for example, buying “sinfully expensive sneakers”—drives a “wreck,” and would rather stay in bed than shower. Toni, by contrast, consciously overconsumes: before showering, he gets on a rowing machine, owns a high-end espresso machine, and cares a lot about having a good hairstyle. At their start-up, they develop an app called “Nana,” which delivers personalized recommendations on smartphones, tailored to each user and highly likely to prompt a purchase. Thanks to this product, the two first get an audition with Antonietta Kärcher and subsequently receive an offer of 4 million euros from her client, David Zuckerman, which they accept in principle. At the company party following the agreement, they bet that they will lock all their belongings away in a storage warehouse. Each day, they will each get one item back. The bet stems from the fact that Toni programmed the software to drive sales and used his unsuspecting partner Paul as a test subject. So disappointed by this breach of trust, Paul proposes the bet as a voluntary abstention from consumption. As an extra hurdle, he stipulates that quitting early will mean transferring their shares in the company to the employees. They begin their abstention so rigorously that they wake up naked in an empty apartment. In wintry Berlin, they therefore first opt for a warm coat or a wearable sleeping bag, before setting different priorities for clothing, hygiene and beauty products, furniture, and household goods. During their regular visits to the warehouse, they meet Lucy, who is also struggling with compulsive consumption, and a romance develops between her and Toni. Despite the minimalist means available to them, Toni manages to have a successful date with Lucy. For example, in a love scene reminiscent of Fifty Shades of Grey, she places tea bags on his eyes. Throughout the story, Toni and Paul also have conversations with Paul’s parents and grandmother about happiness and possessions. In the end, personal happiness wins out, with Toni and Lucy becoming a couple. During the sales negotiations, which take place four weeks after the bet begins, the duo also raises the sale price of their start-up by 10 million euros, bringing it to a total of 14 million euros. Everyone learns via the internet that Zuckerman has released the “Nana” app himself. Toni and Lucy become a couple. At the end, the three of them sit by the sea, and Paul considers how he can use “Nana” against Zuckerman.