Jerichow

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).

Jerichow is a region in a part of East Germany that faces the Baltic Sea--it used to be in the GDR. A dishonorably discharged Afghanistan veteran Thomas returns to his home village of Jerichow. There after witnessing a wreck with a guy who was drinking he meets Ali who hires him as a driver. Ali (Hilmi Sozer), a middle aged Turkish immigrant who owns of a snack-bar chain in Eastern German . Then Thomas meets Laura, his Turkish boss's young & attractive wife (Nina Hoss who is very beautiful). Thomas ( Benno Furmann) was in the Army during the war in Afghanistan he is at his mother's funeral & he has confrontation with business man he owes large sum of money to. So between them begins a classic love triangle. Petzold writes & directs a fine, tight film about 3 characters, each with a dark side to their character. It is a well directed & acted drama about a love & lust for the 3. The Ali character is the rich macho acting *ss*ole--he is not a happy man. The wife is the submissive beauty. Thomas is the quiet stoic strong army guy needing money & job. There is a resemblance to both versions of 'The Postman Always Rings Twice', also similar to the films by the late Reiner Werner Fassbinder Robert Bresson, & others.(as mentioned by others) This is an austere film making from director Petzold whose works are not well known in this country. The cinematography is really terrific & beautiful set in the desolate northeast Germany, where thick forests suddenly end on cliffs overlooking the Baltic Sea . The film also captures a social portrait of newly multicultural Germany, at least as it extends into the country's forgotten rural interior. The film does a good job giving us people in the dead ends they face & in the spiritual emptiness that causes people to do desperate things in search of happiness. In the end Ali ends up earning some of our sympathy is a testament to both Petzold's smart script & Sozer's deeply nuanced performance, a trait shared by his two co-actors.

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.

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.