Yella

Petzold is a very controlled and composed film-maker. In this film, as in GESPENSTER, he uses this almost forensic calm and diurnal realism to explore metaphysical issues. So this film, which ostensibly takes place in the aggressive financial world of mergers and acquisitions, is also a film about death, the soul, and guilt. It is a great challenge to look at these intangible themes through the prism of a very tangible, concrete world - but this Petzold does achieve, with beautifully composed and controlled imagery, and even a nice line in wry, ironic humour. There are some great performances in the film - they draw you part of the way in, but nevertheless there is still some distance between viewer and film. This maybe results in a slightly cold viewing experience, but the film has stayed with me long after its end - it is a complex and highly rewarding work, if mainly in retrospect.

This enigmatic drama is a story of a young woman who confronts her ambitions and insecurities head on. The film starts with Yella accepting a new job and moving to the more modernized western part of the country. With hopes for a better future, the life she leaves behind include her loving father, her obsessive husband, and the stability of a reality understood.

Christian Petzold uses a bold no frills approach to exhibit this thought provoking film. The narrative has a minimalistic quality which serves the film well, allowing the viewer to focus on the subtle yet compelling performance by actress Nina Hoss. Yella is an intelligently layered film and a triumph for modern day German cinema.

If you are looking for a thriller that sweeps you away for 90 minutes go elsewhere. If you are looking for a twister that strives to constantly outwit your keen literary and cinematic intellectual sensibilities with its never-ending brain teasers this isn't it. The film does have flaws but, as a vehicle that facilitates a better understanding of human nature, it is very successful.

Why can't bright people get over the need to duel with the directors and writers of film and, instead, pay attention to what is important? Whatever its shortcomings, this is a look into the psyche of a human being that, at least for me, reveals all the frailties, contradictions and inconsistencies that our species is heir to.

See this film, allow yourself to enter into Yella - then, by all means, dissect and analyze it later.

This is the fourth Petzold feature film I've seen; they've all been well-made and all have left me unsatisfied in some way. Die innere Sicherheit is his remake of Running On Empty and has some effective performances but lacks the emotion of Lumet's film. Barbara is a wonderful vehicle for his muse Nina Hoss, but the suspense you'd expect to find in a DDR story isn't there. Jerichow is a version of The Postman Always Rings Twice that is underpowered in its acting.

Now Yella has another effective performance by Nina Hoss--think of Julia Roberts with more acting ability--but the script somehow doesn't satisfy. It's more Daphne du Maurier when you really want Graham Greene. David Striesow as the cynical yet somehow sympathetic Philipp impressed me; I'd want to see him in another vehicle.

In my opinion Christian Petzel is one of the most prominent German directors of the new century. It amazes me how low his films are usually rated.

With respect to "Yella" a possible explanation could be that the story is complicated. The film has a surprising ending (about which I shall say nothing in this review), but even including this ending there remains much to think about.

Despite or perhaps thanks to this complicated plot the film is very rewarding. It is situated in impersonal and distant environments such as highways, business motels and conference rooms. The facial expressions (amazement, disbelief, amusement) of main character Yella (Nina Hoss) contributes more to the story than the often somewhat disguised dialogue.

In the film Yella forms more and more a duo with Philipp (Devid Striesow), a shady venture capitalist who tries to buy firms in distress at a very low price and thereby explores and transcends the limits of the law.

Illuminating is the scene in which Philipp puts Yella to a test. He asks her to deposit some cash money on a bank account and gives her an exces of cash. Will she return the "spare change" to him or not? Initially she does not. It remains unclear of she thereby was failing or passing the test. Personally I think she is passing it, proving that she too could embezzle money when opportunity knocks.

Important in my opinion is that Philipp is much like Ben (Hinnerk Schönemann), the ex of Yella. Philipp has the same character and the same physical appearance as Ben, being only a little smarter and more succesful. Given the fact that Yella and Ben are from East Germany (Wittenburg) and Philipp from West Germany, there seems to be some symbolism hinting at the re-unification.