Oltre la notte

I really wanted to see this but know that expectations for films can be a negative momentum that might destroy the enjoyment of the movie.

So, throughout the first act I was somewhat disappointed. Altough it is indeed a devastating scenario, it felt like the movie did not trust me to feel bad enough already - dark colours, endless rain and a camera that does not dare to move away from Diane Krugers face...It annoyed me that the creation of a uncanny atmosphere felt so forced.

Yet, as the movie progressed, I was more and more amazed. The 2nd act brought in new camera work, longer, steady shots that brought stability into the images as the characters tried to find theirs. The transistion of the court speaking the sentence and Katja getting her tattoo was one of the most memorable edits I have seen in a long time. Overall the courthouse scenes had a really defined feel and setting to them, which underlined the characters strong play.

The third act made me afraid, I was expecting it to turn out like a usual "tough woman goes maverick"-thriller. Not that I don't enjoy that, I have just seen it too much and it would seem undeserving for this story. But: This isn't a Hollywood production! The character was insecure, realistic, tangible, we could not see it coming how this drama would turn out but neither could the characters - and thats how life is. At times, we have no idea how to deal with tragedy, guilt, death, we're helpless in the face of institutional justice but also do not find ways to bring justice ourselves and when we are faced with our enemies, we might even doubt if we are the right ones to judge them. Hollywood gives these big questions simple answers, this movie does not.

After a bumpy start I grew to like this a lot.

After a woman's husband and son die in a bomb attack, her life collapses and she must come to terms with injustice in what is another film about xenophobia, reconciliation and ultimately European identity by German- Turkish writer/director Faith Akin. Diane Kruger delivers a powerhouse performance as she gives her character enough emotional depth without overdoing it to bring her grief and anger to life. Inspired by xenophobic murders in Germany by a neo-Nazi group, the film sets out with good premise, starts strong but then falls into familiar narrative territory before concluding with an ending that would dissatisfy some audiences. It labels itself as a political film but doesn't have a solid stab for it to deliver in what is otherwise an entertaining, sometimes intense picture.

There isn't much I can say about this film that hasn't already been said.

The acting is superb, the story keeps you engaged right to the end and is tight from start to finish.

A refreshing change from the deluge of American factory drama.

Here's another unheard of foreign film which, in all likliehood, will stay unheard of, at least in the U.S. It played in 2 theaters in NYC and today is the last day. It contains one of the best performances by an actress I have seen in quite a while - and I saw Frances McDormand in "3 Billboards". Diane Kruger plays a woman whose husband and son are killed in a terrorist bombing. After a period of mourning she is bent on revenge, and she was so good and so convincing in her grief you could almost feel her pain. The other noteworthy performance in the picture - and there are several that are noteworthy - was that of the Defense Attorney, played to perfection by Johannes Kirsch, who summons up all the hatred you can spare.

I guess you'll have to wait until it comes out on DVD, but you won't be disappointed. Foreign films and Indies are the wave of the future, since Hollywood has forfeited its place in the motion picture field. Screenplay and acting win the day - substance over form is the ticket in 2018.

I've been a Faith Akin fan since Giegen Die Wand (Head-On)and I love his rock 'n' roll style. I knew this film was going to be depressing but it also is like a thriller towards the end, which left my heart pumping so loudly. Diane Kruger is a phenomenal actress in this, she is so believable and extreme. There are some clichés/stereotypes in the story which pull it down. I think the effect post-film, was very strong and I couldn't escape fast enough, it was so tense and terrifying.