It’s about social media, a dying image of men and – of course – a death. The new Münster “Tatort: MagicMom” (Sunday, March 5, from 8:15 p.m. in the first) invites viewers on a journey into the modern age without overreacting or leaving anyone behind. What’s special: Boerne (Jan Josef Liefers, 58) and Thiel (Axel Prahl, 62) manage with respect, but a few pointed remarks, to somehow present themselves openly to everything new – despite their doubts. Is the film also worthwhile for those interested in crime fiction who normally avoid the slapstick crime scene in Münster?
Commissioner Frank Thiel (Prahl) and Professor Karl Friedrich Boerne (liefers) enter unknown territory in their latest case: the social media have largely passed them by, a murder case and a corpse only exist in reality. But now a case leads them into the middle of virtual worlds, almost exotic for the two men, in which women in particular play a leading role.
The recently deceased Evita Vogt (Laura Louisa Garde, 34) has a huge fan base with her self-deprecating videos. As “MagicMom” she is one of the most successful so-called momfluencers: a likeable young mother who admits her supposed mistakes and has tips and tricks ready for other mothers. But now she is found hanged in her luxurious home. Everything points to it – but did Evita Vogt really take her own life? A real challenge for Professor Boerne and his assistant Silke Haller (ChrisTine Ursprechen, 52); At first, Prof. Boerne cannot definitively rule out external influences.
Evita’s husband Moritz (Golo Euler, 40) is shocked and doesn’t want to believe it all: Neither suicide nor murder make sense to him. Inspector Thiel’s investigations quickly show that “MagicMom” also had numerous so-called haters among those who followed her online. There was also hatred and hurtful comments from other influencers like Sabine Hertweck aka “BusyBine” (Agnes Decker, 37). And it’s no secret that Evita Vogt and her neighbor Thekla Cooper (Monika Oschek, 36) didn’t have a good relationship…
Absolutely! “MagicMom” is fun, varied and exciting to the end. The really, really big hit is missing, but – as is so often the case with the Münster “Tatort” episodes, the 90 minutes are a perfect end to the weekend for all crime fans who want to smile a little in some scenes. Once again Prahl and Liefers convince in their roles with wordplay, smug undertone and occasional jabs – against themselves, the other or even completely uninvolved. The dosage of the ingredients is also well chosen: Sometimes too much slapstick has destroyed the magic of the Münster “Tatort” edition in the past.
Boerne’s narcissism, which is celebrated again and again, is also wonderfully exaggerated in one scene. Suffice it to say: a professor becomes a pop singer. In any case, the episodic role of Golo Euler, who interprets the widower with remarkable depth and commendable realism, deserves special mention. Is Moritz Vogt a deranged husband who finds himself in reality and – as he says himself – “simply works”. Or is there more to it? Ruthless murder or maybe a tragic accident? At 9:45 p.m. Sunday night, viewers will know more…
