Beautiful, interesting, incredible cinema.
PHOENIX
Synopsis
German-Jewish cabaret singer Nelly survived Auschwitz but had to undergo reconstructive surgery as her face was disfigured. Without recognizing Nelly, her former husband Johnny asks her to help him claim his wife’s inheritance. To see if he betrayed her, she agrees, becoming her own doppelganger.
Synopsis
German-Jewish cabaret singer Nelly survived Auschwitz but had to undergo reconstructive surgery as her face was disfigured. Without recognizing Nelly, her former husband Johnny asks her to help him claim his wife’s inheritance. To see if he betrayed her, she agrees, becoming her own doppelganger.
Our take
Collaborating once more with Harun Farocki and lead actor Nina Hoss, Christian Petzold (Barbara) carefully crafts this cleverly plotted, smotheringly suspenseful post-WW2 drama. An especially impressive combination of throwback thriller and genre elements with substantial thematic weight.