The Joys of Fatherhood (Vaterfreuden) is a 2014 German comedy film directed by and starring Matthias Schweighöfer, based on the 2012 novel Frettsack by Murmel Clausen.
Felix Bender (Schweighöfer) is a carefree, but habitually broke bachelor in his early thirties who has no thoughts of settling down, unlike his friends, who already have wives and children. His life is turned upside-down when his eccentric brother Henne (Friedrich Mücke) moves in with him unexpectedly, bringing along his honey-obsessed ferret, Karsten. Upon becoming aware of Felix's financial difficulties, Henne convinces his brother to become a sperm donor for extra income.
During a wild one night stand, a tied-up, honey-covered Felix is attacked by Karsten and loses the ability to father children. As a result, he becomes obsessed with recovering the sperm donation he made to the fertility clinic. When he finds out that a TV anchorwoman by the name of Maren became pregnant as a result of his donation, he decides to do everything he can to get to know the future mother of his child.
This film shows examples of:
- Big Fancy House: Maren and her boyfriend live in a gigantic, ultramodern mansion.
- Brutal Honesty: Felix and his brother both won't hesitate to speak their minds, causing some friction with others.
- Cloud Cuckoo Lander: Henne Bender, Felix's childish and eccentric brother.
- Contrived Coincidence: Out in traffic, Henne happens to witness Maren's boyfriend openly cavorting with his secretary.
- Cool Uncle: Felix qualifies, although he is an Honorary Uncle to Leonie and her twin siblings.
- Double Standard Rape: Female on Male: The film opens up with Felix having sex with a woman who suddenly claims that she is off the pill. After a moment of shock, Felix immediately asks her to stop, and attempts to get her off of him, but she refuses, and continues the intercourse against his wishes. After a brief, but intense struggle, he manages to push her off, and she reveals that she was actually trying a new sex position called "The Rodeo", in which you're supposed to lie to your partner that you are not using protection and see how long you can last before they throw you off. It's Played for Laughs, when it is clearly sexual assault.
- Hollywood Healing: Felix recovers very fast from what would normally be a very painful groin injury which would require months of healing.
- Groin Attack: Karsten the ferret attacks Felix's scrotum, and manages to sterilize him as a result.
- Stalker with a Crush: Felix steals Maren's bag, goes through her personal belongings to find out her schedule and begins to essentially stalk her. She is extremely irritated by his presence and asks him to leave her alone, and he pretends to agree, but begins to show up at the places where he knows she would be. He feels justified in his actions because she is carrying the only child he believes he will ever have, but he is supposed to be an anonymous sperm donor who instead inserts himself into the life of a woman who is already in a relationship and doesn't want anything to do with him. It's played as endearing.
- Wham Line: "You are not the father."
