Michael Haneke
Funny Games

The alarm rings, and it's the decisive moment, you wake up, stretch, yawn, have breakfast, wash up, etc., etc.... The life of the bourgeoisie is beautiful, isn't it? Ahahahahahahah whatever; in the end, what do you do? You get in the car with your folks, clean your ears with some good classical music (not your thing? Doesn't matter, it's bourgeois anyway!), and you start seeing the branches of the trees reflecting on the car windows, nice fresh air was just what we needed, and it's like you're stepping into the film as well, but suddenly... In the middle of the drive, a loud noise explodes and piercing screams erupt from the car stereo. What happened? Nothing, you've just been projected a bit out of the movie... Nothing major.

Eventually, you arrive at a huge house, and the lady in the car invites the two to lunch, at this point we take another 2-minute drive and reach the destination. Their beautiful mansion by the lake, nothing better for those who want to spend a nice day with their family. Well, you wouldn't say so after a scene of the movie, an awkward boy enters your kitchen, and at that point, asks for some eggs, she gives them to him, and then he drops them, with a genteel laugh (but beneath the laugh is a hidden DAMN YOU that you can't even imagine) and cleans it all up with two rags. He comes back to the kitchen and asks for more, but as he moves around the kitchen he drops the phone in the water-filled sink, she, still gentle-natured, starts showing the first signs of irritation (like gasping sighs, abrupt gestures in picking something up) which are then placated by an "geez..." Then after, with his head slightly down; a sign of insecurity; he asks if she can wrap them to prevent them from falling again. At that point, she gives them back a bit angry still, and what happens? The dog enters the kitchen and attacks the boy (the awkward Peter), but behind him appears a sinister figure, this time without makeup... but with a compensatingly smart gaze; at that point, the wife calls the husband to tell him what's happening and he asks why? (Stuff that if I were the father, I'd have grabbed the golf clubs to smack them in the face, instead of having them run around your yard), now comes the fun part, with GeorgeS knocked down, Schorschi is also put down, who with a scolding fatherly manner, Paul gives him a nice spanking! It's what rude children deserve.

Now the father, after being tended to, is brought to the living room. And Paul (the smart-looking boy) proposes they play some games. The wife is ordered to play Hot/Cold in the garden, where after reaching the "hot", the car door opens, and the dog falls on her dead. Back to the living room, and Paul makes a bet: - "Bet you that within 12 hours, you'll be dead?" And they, petrified, witness the game of "Cat in the Box", the hostage child is 'defended' (so to speak...) by the father who is then beaten up. The now shattered family is left petrified by the presence of a rifle (stolen by Paul from the child after the latter attempted to escape) in Peter's hands, at this point what does Peter do? A counting-out game where the last one left, you shoot the other, Paul makes a sandwich in the kitchen and returns to the living room where he finds a huge blood stain on the wall, truly chilling. And Paul says; childishly, to Peter that the child was supposed to leave, and the husband must die! At this point, the two of them agree on the new game, George tied up on the sofa is the victim. Peter takes the rifle, but Paul scolds him, telling him there's a new game, he takes a knife and shows the lady of the house that she must stab her husband, she obviously refuses, and then Paul shows how it's done, (beware, this is the worst part of the movie...), and the subsequent scene shows a shot of the wife turning red and starting to cry (I dare anyone to do such a thing), the husband's screams and the wife's crying are interrupted by a question, which mockingly sympathizes with the wife's pain.

But at this point the woman grabs the rifle and shoots Peter, only for Paul to snatch it away by hitting her in the stomach, falling to the floor almost heedless of the pain... At this point, we witness a rather strange scene that represents the desire for cynicism, Paul looks for the remote and rewinds the scene from where the little wife grabs the rifle, he manages to take it in time and shoots the husband. It's morning, and both killers are making a philosophical small talk on a boat in the middle of a lake, while the wife is gagged behind them, finally, Peter interrupts the discussion saying it would be better to think about the bet, and at this point, Paul gives a peck on the cheek to the little lady and throws her into the water. And they both find themselves in front of a house and Paul winks at the viewer (some would say it's too trashy, but wait...)

Citations:

1 - Paul often asks the viewer questions, to integrate them as I mentioned earlier in the film

2 - I knew the wife's name, Anna... But I preferred giving her nicknames, frankly, I don't know why

3 - The dialogue between Paul and the family is wonderful, where he describes Peter and insults him!