NZIFF 2025 Craccum Coverage | Peacock

Review by Veronica Zuo

Sociologist Erving Goffman saw everyday interactions as a stage drama. Actors play roles in the front stage, knowing they are being watched. In the backstage, these roles are let go. But what if the front stage starts bleeding into the back? Bernhard Wenger puts on a twist in his debut feature film, Peacock, an exploration of the roles we occupy in everyday life. Albrecht Schuch stars as Matthias, one of the most highly rated employees of Rent-A-Friend companion service. Want a stand-in son, boyfriend, or even someone who helps you practise arguing? He’s your guy. 

As many happy accidents this job entails, it’s not without consequences. Playing so many selves eats Matthias up psychologically, leaving him a blank slate of a man. His real relationships begin to deteriorate due to his passiveness, leading to a questioning of “am I real?”, which also gives the film its German title. Grounded in tragicomedy and satire, Peacock tackles the universal challenge of relationships in modern society while interlacing with perfectly timed comedic moments. Beautiful composition and lighting only add to its appeal as a visually stunning film. 

At a post-screening Q&A, Wenger described being inspired after speaking to an employee of a similar agency in Japan, who experienced emotional shutdowns after assignments. He also highlighted acting schools themselves, where actors learn how to become characters but not how to get out of them. Revolving the story around such a passive character was also a choice: “when he enters the room, nothing changes”. With these tasteful decisions resulting in a thought-provoking and funny film, Peacock is worth a watch.