Metabolism is key.

That's what a group of researchers from Albuquerque, who was investigating why dinosaurs got so big, suggested a few years ago: probably too big to survive.

Only their agile successors, the birds, who used their high metabolic rate for flight, not for growth, were evolutionarily successful.

Among today's giants, those of streaming, seems to have reached a limit of growth as well.

The sobering number of new subscribers recently reported by Netflix and the increasing competition in the market mean that the first analysts are expecting a price war between Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.

Small providers right down to the media libraries are already flapping their wings excitedly, sensing their chance.

This is (still) an extremely comfortable situation for filmmakers, especially since their budgets are finally even increasing with demand.

However, more and more precise requirements have to be met in the production for the top dogs.

What is bought in bulk is what has already gone splendidly: noble and overwhelmingly produced round stories, preferably with a historical core, but clearly separated from the gray outside world.

One could also speak of a high metabolism without an evolutionary component.

So what do young filmmakers do in such a situation?

He relies at least here and there on the agile little ones in the system.

From Sunday, the ARD media center will be showing a wildly funny eight-part short series in which three students from the Ludwigsburg film school show how little budget it takes

Cops play cops

Even the decision, vaguely reminiscent of Dogma cinema (but far less cramped), to let police officers play by police officers or employees of the immigration office by them, leads to the result surprisingly roughened.

This impression is strengthened by the fact that production design, make-up, light and a well-developed screenplay are largely dispensed with.

The fact that such purism is called "mumblecore" in the Anglo-Saxon indie genre is not important.

On the other hand, it is very important how captivatingly the actors managed to improvise.

In particular, Daniel Popat plays his leading role with dedication: a young, well-integrated Indian in Germany who is nonetheless to be deported and is therefore ready for any slyness.

At the authorities, Jamu speaks the most beautiful, non-understanding German.

He would also marry immediately, even his worn-out, good-hearted slot machine gamer buddy Uwe, a perfect role for Heiko Pinkowski.

Popat not only shares responsibility for the (open) book with Marco Hülser, but above all for the fast-paced direction.

Lukas Lankisch acted as producer.

The plot is an escape in chains, sometimes quite literal, but opposed to Stanley Kramer's 1958 drama in one crucial respect:

It's all about underlying racism, in the eyes of others, and Jamu doesn't always behave politically correct either, for example when he gives up his marriage plans in the face of Uwe's daughter (Lucy Alena Wilke): "She's in a wheelchair!" But he looks like that little down on the Germans as bar stool Uwe down on the passportless Indian.

He would rent out his tied-up boyfriend, who is still in his stolen wedding suit, on the street for a few euros, but he immediately understands that someone is willing to do anything to avoid being deported.

What's more, he wants to help Jamu, but that only drags him deeper and deeper into the abyss.

So soon the weirdest couple of cheaters since the early, drunken Detlev Buck films is racing through Germany, one foot always on the gas pedal (including the stolen car), the other on the soap, and yet even in the scenes in which the two of them enjoy the moment of happiness that they are not officially entitled to, but are seized with chutzpah ("If my family in India could see that, they wouldn't believe it: that Jamu is doing so well"), conveys a lot of real tragedy.

Despite all the high-pitched jokes (with a touch), “All in” quite sensitively addresses the thousands of failures that have occurred in German society, which is based on unexceptional compliance with the rules.

Two stumbling people take on a machine they don't stand a chance against.

This is not only hilarious,

So the series does not end in the longing for Mallorca ("the better Germany"), but in a proper mess, and it is at best vague to guess how another season could maneuver out of there.

What remains are two loners who have found each other: the seeds of a new society.

The character journey of Jamu and Uwe would probably be too stray for a powerful stamping high-gloss series - together they fall into the abyss;

as an outlaw partisan production, however, “All in” adorns the ARD media library, which is looking for fresh, independent content, immensely.

All in

has been available in the ARD media library since Sunday.