Daniel Gries

The story of the film *They Call Me Lars* pays homage to the “hard-boiled detective genre,” with present-day Prague standing in for 1930s Los Angeles. But private eye Lars doesn’t wear a suit like the legendary detective Phil Marlowe of old. He’s a tough guy in a leather jacket, with a shaved head and a scruffy beard. After being kicked out of the police force for complete insubordination, he scrapes by however he can. He solves various problems for his clients or, conversely, causes trouble for others. It depends on the assignment. The only thing left to him from his time in the service is his former partner and friend Gold. The only thing he has left from his time in government service is his former partner and friend Gold, and it is Gold who offers him a lucrative deal.