Maria la maléfique

When I first saw Deadly Maria at the Berlin & Beyond film festival in early 1996 here in San Francisco I was blown away.

It's full of style, like nothing I've ever seen, and uses techniques that punctuate the content more successfully than in probably any other film I've ever seen. Tykwer's later films, Wintersleepers and Run Lola Run are equally brilliant, but I prefer Deadly Maria on most levels.

As far as the content itself, it would most appeal to anyone who knows the pain of living life as someone other than who they truly want to be. It's dark and intensely honest.

What else can I say? This film touched my soul. The catharsis of seeing it shook me to my roots. Tom Tykwer is a genius, in my opinion.

See this film.

It's a good movie and to be honest, i should have rated it higher. However, i didn't enjoy it that much. I thought this was a "drama/thriller/fantasy", so i was prepared for something like that. Truth is, it's mislabelled. This is a drama. A "heavy drama", i mean, it was tough to watch at times. There are some poetic/dream-like scenes but its core is realistic as it gets. Nothing wrong with these movies, but i was not in the mood. In any case, it's good. Viewer empathizes with the leading character, there is a strong, almost heartbreaking story and i was waiting for a payoff, because she faced too much adversity in her life. I won't say anything about the ending, i'll just say that i didn't expect it. Not satisfying or unsatisfying, just strange.

Great acting performances by everyone here.

The first work of Tom Tykwer shows several qualities that have been brought to perfection in "Lola rennt" ("Run Lola Run"). There are especially the great camera work and the intelligent editing. Unfortunately the script is somewhat protracted now and then.

Dreaming of changing her life, a woman, her neighbour's lover, confides her disarray in her statuette idol. The oppressive atmosphere of an insipid life is made into a drama bordering on fantasy, although somewhat drawn out in places.

Director Tom Tykwer has made a film, that shows the fateful powers, that are to emerge, when a woman is suppressed by men all her life. Maria lives in a dream-land, that exudes violently into real life. Tykwer managed to show the magic of common things in a gray and sorrowful existence.