Urlaub mit Mama (2018)

For her mother Helga Zimmermann’s 75th birthday, her daughter Andrea Tönnesen has invited the older woman on a one-day getaway to Verona. Andrea greets her mother outside the hotel they have booked with a bouquet of flowers and some sparkling wine. Since Andrea’s brother Martin has cancelled at the last minute, Andrea has to spend the time alone with her mother—something she had actually hoped to avoid, as their relationship is rather strained. That evening, mother and daughter attend a performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto at the Verona Arena. It is an emotional experience for both of them. They end the evening at a small bar, where Helga Zimmermann runs into her old friend Federico. The next morning, Andrea receives some unwelcome news: because of an ash cloud spewed out by Mount Vesuvius, all return flights have been cancelled for the time being, and trains and buses are not running either. For Andrea, this is a major disaster, as she is urgently expected at her workplace in Hamburg, where something has gone wrong with the packaging she designed, jeopardizing a presentation scheduled for the day after tomorrow. Mother and daughter now try to rent a car, but with so many other people trying to do the same, they have no luck. A car-rental entrepreneur of German origin gives them an address where they can buy a car cheaply for the drive home, but first they have to get to Tuscany. Helga seizes a good opportunity and takes a van that is parked unlocked, with the key in the ignition, outside a shop. A young man who has apparently bought it has gone inside to complete the purchase. Andrea gets in without realizing that her mother has stolen the vehicle. At some point on the drive toward the Brenner Pass, Helga admits to her daughter what has happened with the vehicle, just as a Carabinieri car seems to be following them. Shortly before reaching their destination, the women leave the van behind and walk the rest of the way to Silvio’s house, whose address they got from the car-rental entrepreneur. After a few more mishaps, the pair are finally on their way home. At Helga’s request, they stop at a roadside restaurant. A report on the ash cloud and its consequences is playing on the television, including footage from the airport. Andrea is confronted with images of her husband and his current girlfriend cuddling together. Helga takes this as an opportunity to criticize Andrea, even though this is exactly when Andrea could especially use her mother’s support. She tells Helga as much, which leads to an argument and, in turn, to Helga asking a truck driver to give her a ride without leaving a message for Andrea, who is in the restroom. After being filled in by people at the restaurant, Andrea learns that her mother has climbed into a truck. Naturally worried, she waits for a while and then continues her journey. When she meets more truck drivers at a parking area, Andrea persuades one of them to radio around and ask whether anyone has her mother in their truck. The police are already on Helga’s trail, however, and stop Hinnerk and his truck. Since Helga Zimmermann cannot identify herself, Officer Gruber takes her to the police station. Mother and daughter meet there again and, after some formalities, are able to continue their journey. Mother and daughter are now headed for Martin Zimmermann’s home in Karlsruhe, after Andrea’s work appointment has been rescheduled. Andrea’s son Felix is there too by then, having had to leave his school camp early for drinking alcohol. Mother and daughter have a heart-to-heart, during which Andrea makes it clear to her mother how much she suffered when Helga left the family back then. Helga tries to explain to her daughter that she had been unable to stay, but had never wanted contact with her children to break off. Andrea has meanwhile realized that she needs to change something in her life, especially since Felix has told her bluntly that he expects his mother to make a decision, because the way things currently stand between his parents is almost unbearable for him. One year later, mother and daughter visit Verona again.