A promising premise that fails in its execution: “The Assistant” at the 2025 goEast Festival of Central and Eastern European Film

Based on the 1908 novel by Robert Walser, The Assistant (2025), directed by the Polish couple Wilhelm and Anka Sasnal, tells the story of a young man who finds employment with an eccentric inventor and entrepreneur. Unfortunately, what could have been an interesting exposé on charismatic men and the devotion they inspire, trips over its own sense of self-importance.

The film opens to Joseph Marti (Piotr Trojan) quitting his job after rebelling against an abusive boss. After visiting a local headhunter in search of new employment, Marti finds a position as an assistant for engineer Karl Tobler (Andrzej Konopka) out in the countryside. However, upon arriving, Marti is immediately met with numerous oddities. 

For one, when he arrives at the country house, he encounters the man he is replacing, who is visibly distraught. What is most curious is that he appears less upset about losing his job, but more with letting down Tobler. Another unsettling matter is that Marti’s salary is never discussed. 

As the film progresses, the idiosyncrasies increase in both number and intensity as Marti becomes enmeshed in the Tobler clan. Marti and Tobler’s wife (Agnieszka Żulewska) develop a relationship, the bills begin piling up, and the inventions that the eccentric inventor creates are either useless or nonsensical. 

The directors had numerous ways in which to craft a clever and impactful movie. Yet instead, over the course of the two-hour runtime, they fail to create any sense of tension, nor do they capitalise on the movie’s premise. Rather, The Assistant conforms to almost every negative stereotype associated with arthouse film. 

For one, its length is unnecessary. There are numerous shots that linger far too long, as well as multiple scenes that do not add substance to the film. Another major issue is the soundtrack. The score simply does not complement the slower tone of the film. Its loud, bombastic music instead comes off as distracting and out of place. 

Additionally, when the film does occasionally pursue more experimental techniques and styles, they fall flat. This is best encapsulated by a scene involving a rave towards the movie’s conclusion. Ostensibly meant to illustrate Marti’s and the other characters’  freedom with the departure of the overbearing Tobler, the sequence shows them dancing naked in the country house with strobe lights in the background. The problem is that this style is so out of place with the rest of the film that it is more jarring than interesting. It certainly elicited a reaction, but for how random and silly it was. It was also, like many other scenes, far too long. 

According to the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the film is a critique of capitalism and neoliberalism. Yet, the people actually exploited as such are not going to see this film due to its limited release. Additionally, its niche appeal means that only a small segment of society will watch it. 

If I were to select a positive from the movie, it would be Konopka’s performance as the mercurial engineer. He effectively conveys the anger, desperation, and, ultimately, the patheticness of the character. The rest of the cast also turn in competent performances. Unfortunately, the acting cannot mask poor pacing, a self-impressed script, and a muddled message. 

Tedious, over-long, and self-serious, The Assistant fails to deliver a convincing, meaningful critique of capitalism and society at large. 

The Assistant (2025) was screened on 25, 26, and 28 April as part of the 2025 goEast Festival of Central and Eastern European Film.