Der Vierer (2024)

Sophie is a lawyer who is bored in her marriage to Paul. So they decide to go on a foursome date with Mia, a Spanish woman, and Andi, a man from Tyrol, to bring some fresh excitement into their relationship. At short notice, Lukas, Paul’s best friend and an advertising psychologist, fills in for Andi, who is supposedly ill. In fact, Paul had uninvited Andi on the pretext that he himself was ill, much to Sophie’s annoyance, which leads to an argument between Sophie and Paul. Meanwhile, Mia and Lukas are already waiting at the bar. Sophie and Mia studied law together for a semester. Mia has been single for 15 years and wonders why people stay together. She suspects the reasons are habit and cowardice. Lukas, by contrast, believes in love. Sophie accuses Paul of boycotting and preventing all kinds of things in the name of climate protection and sustainability, such as taking a cruise together. She also says he has no life of his own, but lives through his son Denis—or through her—and should look for a job again. He criticizes her for caring only about her career. Four months ago, she was promoted to partner, but she has kept it from him until now. After Sophie accuses Paul of being predictable, he tells her that he cheated on her. At first, she responds sympathetically, which makes him angry because he takes it to mean that she does not care about him. In the meantime, Mia and Lukas enjoy an animated conversation at the bar, grow closer, and eventually have sex in the restroom. The argument between Paul and Sophie escalates, and he shreds her cell phone in the Thermomix. Sophie packs her things, leaves the apartment, and falls down the stairs. Paul brings her back inside and tends to her aching leg. He tells her that he had been offered a job on an excavation in Jordan, but turned it down because he wanted to stay with her. She kisses him. He then tells her that he did not actually cheat on her; he only said so to make himself seem more interesting. In return, she confesses that she cheated on him with Lukas. As Paul is about to leave the apartment, Mia and Lukas show up. Mia takes the initiative, and all four end up in the bedroom, kissing one another. During this, Mia also finds out that Sophie cheated on Paul with Lukas, which makes Sophie angry because Lukas had kept their affair from Mia, and Mia is in love with him, just as he is in love with her. Paul leaves the apartment after punching Lukas over his affair with Sophie, and spends the night at his now-grown son Denis’s place. Three months later, Paul works as a guide at a museum. Lukas turns up at Paul’s to tell him about Sophie’s panic attack. Lukas and Mia are now a couple. Sophie confesses to Mia that she cannot live without Paul. While hiking to Venice, Sophie intercepts Paul. She tells him how she feels, and the two set off together.