AceShowbiz - Imagine a moment two-thirds through a gripping drama disguised as a comedy, where Sandra Hüller takes the microphone and sings. You can see this exact scenario in Project Hail Mary, where Hüller plays Eva Stratt, the head of the global scientific initiative aiming to save the sun from a lethal microorganism called "Astrophage."

On the eve of the rocket launch, Eva joins the astronauts and physicists for a night of drinking that culminates in karaoke. She chooses to perform Harry Styles's "Sign of the Times," a stirring ballad about the state of the world. Thanks to Hüller's talent, or perhaps the enigmatic nature of her character, Eva delivers a surprisingly powerful rendition.

Yet, this karaoke scene in Project Hail Mary feels unusual. Is it meant to reveal a softer side of the icy Eva? Or is it an odd attempt to inject emotional depth into a character who remains largely inscrutable? The choice of a relatively recent pop song, rather than a classic karaoke staple, adds to the scene's strange tone. Perhaps it feels off because Hüller already has an iconic karaoke moment from an earlier film — but it’s not here, it’s elsewhere.

True fans of Hüller know that her definitive karaoke moment is in the 2016 festival favorite Toni Erdmann. This film marked her breakout role and set the stage for later acclaimed performances in films like Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest. In Toni Erdmann, she plays Ines Conradi, a driven consultant with little patience or joy, especially when it comes to her father, Winfried, played by Peter Simonischek.

Winfried’s relentless, humorous attempts to reconnect with Ines annoy her deeply. He disrupts her work, crashes meetings, and generally embarrasses her, all in the name of reconnecting. The pivotal karaoke scene takes place during a chaotic Easter brunch, where Winfried persuades Ines to sing. Initially, she approaches the keyboard with detached annoyance, her subtle head shakes communicating disdain.

But as the intro to Whitney Houston’s "The Greatest Love of All" begins, Ines commits fully. She tucks in her shirt and launches into a performance that is at once heartfelt and flawed — the kind of karaoke that is both transcendent and imperfect. Watching her sing, the audience witnesses her grappling with her fraught relationship with her father in real time.

Her singing becomes a conduit for emotions she cannot express otherwise. She belts out Whitney Houston’s lyrics with a mix of anger, pain, and vulnerability. Winfried watches, astonished. The lyrics, "No matter what they take from me, they can't take away my dignity," resonate deeply as Ines’s dignity as both daughter and employee has been systematically eroded. This moment is the emotional apex of the film — simultaneously funny and heartbreaking.

By the time Ines reaches the final chorus, her voice is laden with the complex emotions of anger and resentment toward the challenges she has faced alone. The Easter brunch has unraveled, and after her performance, Ines storms out, leaving no doubt about the song’s significance for her and her relationship with Winfried. The karaoke performance articulates what she cannot say, and her emotional coldness begins to thaw in the days that follow.

In stark contrast, the karaoke scene in Project Hail Mary feels more like a viral moment crafted for social media than a meaningful character development. It almost seems like the scene is relying heavily on the popularity of Harry Styles’s music, especially considering the film’s release closely precedes his album Kiss All The Time. Disco Occasionally. However, the timing appears coincidental, and the scene still feels somewhat forced.

After Eva finishes singing "Sign of the Times," there is no evident change in her character or in her dynamic with Ryan Gosling’s Dr. Grace, with whom she shares a distant tension. The scene carries a certain smugness familiar to anyone who has witnessed a karaoke singer who is unexpectedly talented — it’s engaging but doesn’t necessarily reveal anything new about the character.

For those familiar with Sandra Hüller's work, it’s clear that her best karaoke moment belongs to her role in Toni Erdmann. There, karaoke becomes a powerful storytelling device, revealing the complexities of a father-daughter relationship and the struggles of emotional expression. Meanwhile, Project Hail Mary offers a karaoke scene that, while well performed, serves more as a stylistic flourish than a pivotal narrative moment.

Ultimately, Hüller's karaoke in Toni Erdmann remains a standout, blending humor, vulnerability, and emotional depth in a way that resonates far beyond the screen. It’s a reminder of how a simple karaoke scene can become a defining moment in a film and an actor’s career.

This article is based on reporting originally published by Vulture.