Sumo Bruno

Bruno (Hakan Orbeyi) is a lonely, unhappy, 400-pound man that has recently lost his railroad job on his 30th birthday, and was informed by a tax-collecting bailiff (Hans-Jochen Röhrig) that he's in danger of losing his home due to very late payments. That same day, Bruno's shifty and opportunistic friend, Kalle (Oliver Korittke), who loses a job for the third time in a year, has intentions to enter his overweight friend into the upcoming Sumo World championship that is being held in the city of Riesa, hoping that the fifty thousand marks purse will changed their lives for the better.

Later that night, Kalle talks Bruno into a double-date with Gina (Esther Esche) and Bärbel (Sandra Steffi), and going to the local discothèque, Lucky's Temple of Dance. Feeling out of place, Bruno goes to the men's restroom, where he meets the beautiful Anna (Julia Richter), who's hiding from her boneheaded boyfriend, Lucky (Tim Wilde), the owner of the club. Unbeknownst to Bruno, Kalle's plan was to volunteer his strong, heavyset buddy into a sumo wrestling contest, to show Bruno that he's good at it, and the winner gets a prize for two hundred marks. As expected, Bruno mops-up the inferior competition and wins the prize, but unexpectedly, he's challenged by Lucky to a boxing match. Bruno timidly decides to relinquish the prize rather than take part in an unnecessary public display of physicality, so an obliviously agitated Kalle wisely decides to leave the club with Bruno in tow.

Kalle does all he can to try to convince his big-bodied partner that his destiny is sumo, but after the contest fiasco, Bruno doesn't want to hear it. The next morning, due to circumstances involving a ten year old, chubby, bullied boy named Timo (Thomas Drechsel), Bruno finally decides to enter the sumo championship. Bruno is invited by Timo to meets his dance trained mother, who turns out to be the same Anna that was at the club last night. One thing leads to another, and Anna is intrigued by Timo sudden friendliness with Bruno, and the two agreed to get to know each other over dinner. Later on, Bruno informs Kalle that he's had a change of heart and is entering the championship, and the excited Kalle springs into action to seek out a proper sumo coach.

Kalle introduces the very German, but Japanese-loving sushi chef Akashi (Martin Seifert) to Bruno and Timo. At first, Akashi is dismissive of Bruno who doesn't appear to have the heart, skill or dedication to be a good sumo wrestler, but after pleads from Kalle and Bruno, Akashi changes his mind and instructs the trio gather there to begin constructing a dohyō, so Bruno can begin his training.

Despite the fact that complications have arisen, like clashes with Akashi, money problems and obvious attraction for Anna, Bruno does himself proud with qualifying in the preliminary and will represent Germany as one of two German participants along with menacing rival R.F. Schröder (Jörg Brümmer). Unknowingly to Bruno, Kalle is in trouble because he owes money to a loan shark, and the ill-temper Lucky's jealousy of Anna for spending time with the big hearted sumotori-in-making, eventually drives Anna and Timo away. Kalle's machinations to boost his very large friend's popularity and make some money ends-up backfiring badly, with the end result seriously damaging Bruno's confidence which negatively impacts his blossoming relationship with Anna and Timo. Bruno is left directionless at this point and the sumo championship is the next day.

Fate intervenes, and after much soul-searching, Bruno smartly decides to go back to Akashi and pleads for his help. Akashi accepts and prepares Bruno for the sporting event. While, Akashi, Kalle and Gina are there supporting Bruno, Anna and Timo are preparing to leave Riesa, when the brutish Lucky shows-up and tries in vain to change Anna and Timo's minds in returning home with him. Bruno progresses to the finale to face-off against the current world champion, Emanuel Yarbrough of the U.S.A. Before it can happen, Bruno decides to find Anna and Timo, and arrives in time to put the very arrogant Lucky in his place once and for all. Bruno and Anna make amends, and the three depart for the arena so Bruno can battle Yarbrough.

Akashi, Kalle, Gina, Anna and Timo looked on with anticipation as Bruno and Yarbrough intensely wrestled. At first, the two giants seemed to be equally matched until Yarbrough manages a concentrated, one-armed throw of Bruno to the ground, which costs him the match, handing the championship to Yarbrough. Lifting by the audience rapturous applause to such a fantastic effort, Bruno graciously bows to the champion, and walks away from the arena with his head held high, knowing that despite the outcome, he's truly a winner in his heart, mind and soul.

• Hakan Orbeyi as Bruno
• Oliver Korittke as Kalle
• Julia Richter as Anna
• Martin Seifert as Akashi
• Thomas Drechsel as Timo
• Tim Wilde as Lucky
• Hans-Jochen Röhrig as Bailiff
• Esther Esche as Gina
• Sandra Steffi as Bärbel
• Uwe Steimle as Branch manager
• Timo Dierkes as Loan shark
• Jörg Brümmer as R.F. Schröder
• Martin Semmelrogge as Ecki
• Emmanuel Yarbrough as himself

Sumo Bruno was theatrically released on January 18, 2001 in Germany, but previously played at multiple film festivals: Montreal World Film Festival on September 2, 2000; Singapore International Film Festival in 2000; Kinofest Linen on November 17, 2000, and Gothenburg Film Festival in 2001.[4]

A DVD of the film was released on October 20, 2008 by Senator Home Entertainment.

Sumo Bruno has received generally favorable reviews from viewers. In the Variety magazine, Eddie Cockerel states that "Sumo Bruno aims for underdog charm as a rural lad becomes a decent sumo against wildly improbable odds. Yet too-gentle fantasy is less than sum of its parts, more a series of good ideas about friendship and determination than cohesive, dramatic sports saga."[5] Other reviewers had opined that the film was "Germany’s answer to The Full Monty (1997) - absolutely gorgeous!", and that it is "a light, but immensely satisfying film", also calling it an "underrated German movie with a big star."[6]

• Sumo Bruno at IMDb
• Sumo Bruno at the TCM Movie Database