Les Démons du Passé

The film creates a captivating atmosphere, and the cinematography is excellent. However, it suffers from uneven pacing. It aspires to be an honest character study, but the writing doesn't fully support this ambition. Some of the dialogue feels unnatural, which undermines the film's goals. The acting is also inconsistent-particularly Catrin Striebeck's performance, which feels unconvincing as she struggles to deliver her lines in a believable way. Ultimately, it leaves you not really caring for any of the characters. Like many German films, it also suffers from an identity crisis-it's unclear who the intended audience is and why this story needs to be experienced in a cinema.

This film is about a man named Becker who is trying to live a quiet life, working as a security guard since he was paroled from prison. The crimes of his past are not easily forgotten though and he is being thwarted while trying to make his fresh start.

This movie was ok. It was a very slowly paced film dealing mostly with regret and how to move past the past. Becker's criminal life left victims who are angry, hurt and some people that he lost the chance of having in his own life. I liked the movie but the pace really could've moved along much faster. The guy who played Becker did a good job. I felt for him at times but at other times he seemed like he didn't deserve sympathy. I didn't much care for the ending but I understood it. Not a bad watch but nothing too impressive.

Anyone familiar with Ken Loach's films will see great similarities here. It is the story of a man who made a grievous error and is paying for it, forever. A simple story of perseverance with a small glimmer of hope in a dreary and dismal town.

The film works due to the casting and the way the director can extract a subtle performance from simple material. The cast here is excellent, and like Loach's casts over the years, give a chipped dignity to the less than glorious lives they have. Kurth as the protagonist is a strong presence. His bulk and disheveled plainness is authentic but it's his ability to suggest emotional motive which holds attention.

He couldn't work alone and the cast with him, especially Striebeck, is effective. Overall the writing is quite good, though perfunctory in the style of this genre, but the ending was not quite as well realized as some alternatives might have offered if examined.