Jerichow

The Afghanistan veteran Thomas returns to his home village of Jerichow, in the former East Germany and meet Ali, a local Turkish-German businessman, owner of a snack-bar chain, who hires him as a driver and who lives with his attractive wife Laura (Nina Hoss). The story is a sort of remake of "The postman always rings twice" in the former East Germany, where you don't find good or bad guys, but just different characters struggling with life and fighting to survive. Released in 2008 the movie offers a good insight of the society of this area of Germany, which explains why AFD is gaining so much support in the former East Germany regions. Germany is still somewhat divided.

Thomas, a returned war veteran, returns to his native village of Jerichow, in eastern Germany. Looking for a job, he agrees to be the driver for Ali, who owns a chain of snack bars in the area, and that's where he meets Laura, Ali's attractive wife.

Another film by Petzold, starring Nina Hoss (no news here), Benno Fürmann and Hilmi Sözer.

Jerichow is a free adaptation of the classic novel 'The Postman Always Rings Twice', by James M. Cain, where we have the story of a love triangle and all the consequences that lies, betrayal and forbidden love can have in the lives of the persons envolved.

It's different from the previous adaptations, even though it follows a similar pace, differentiating itself by giving, on almost equal parts, screen time among the three characters, making the narrative more humble, without focusing to much on character a or b.

It's also a criticism of German society, on the matter of multiculturalism and xenophobia.

The cinematography is ok, with the right choice of locations for the different moments of the film.

Interesting variation of the The Postman Always Rings Twice story brings the tragedy realistically into a modern-day German setting, is suspenseful with a good cast, and comes up with its own new kind of twist) ending.

Jerichow is a region in a part of East Germany,that faces the North Atlantic. It is also the title of a grim,but well written,directed & acted drama about a love (lust?)triangle. Thomas (a stoic faced Benno Furmann)is one of life's losers,who was in the Army during the war in Afghanistan,who is on the run from being in debt with a business associate. Ali (Hilmi Sozer),a middle aged Turkish immigrant,who owns a chain of snack bars in central Eastern Germany & his beautiful,young wife (Nina Hoss,most easy on the eyes). Despite a somewhat strained friend ship between the three,paranoia & mistrust exist between two of the three parties (especially when Thomas & the wife start an affair). Christian Petzold writes & directs a fine,tart film about three characters,each with a dark side to their character. Besides a passing resemblance to both versions of 'The Postman Always Rings Twice', it may also remind you of films by the late Reiner Werner Fassbinder,Robert Bresson,and others. This is grim,but well intentioned film making from a director who's works are fairly unknown in this country (and let's hope that changes soon). As this is an import,distributed by a small independent studio,it is not rated by the MPAA,but contains pervasive language,sexual situations,nudity & violence (although nothing too gory).

This isn't about the movie, it's about the comment above that asserts that Jerichow is an area in east Germany that faces the North Atlantic.

East Germany has a coast line on the Baltic sea.

The rest of Germany has borders with Poland, West Germany and the Czech Republic

Before you get to the north Atlantic you have to go through the north sea, and maybe the English channel (if you go that way).

So Jerichow is no where near the North Atlantic.

The rest of that comment should, therefore, be ignored in it's entirety.