Alone in Berlin (2017)

This is How Movies Should Be Made

Simple and well acted, it has tension enough to knot the stomach.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

What more can a man donate than his child?' Hans Fallada's novel 'Every Man Dies Alone' has been adapted for the screen by Achim von Borries, Vincent Perez and Bettine von Borries: Perez also directs this mesmerizing film about resistance in Germany during Hitler's reign in World War II. Many films and books have been written about the holocaust, the obliteration of the Jews and the gays while Hitler's nightmare raged, but few have addressed the ordinary citizens of Germany - Berlin in particular - who did not align with the Nazi regime but instead quietly resisted in the only manner available: courage and secretive acts of rebellion.In 1940, German soldier Hans Quangel (Louis Hofmann) is killed in action during the French campaign. His parents, coffin maker Otto and his wife Anna (Brendan Gleeson and Emma Thompson), are devastated by the loss, unable at first to even communicate with each other, and their crushing grief is placed in strong contrast to the joyful hysteria at Germany's victory. Deciding that Fuhrer Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime are responsible for this tragedy and much more, Otto cannot stand by any longer. As such, Otto begins to create handwritten cards denouncing the regime's abuses and lies, which he secretly deposits throughout Berlin while a disillusioned Anna insists on helping him. As the subversive cards pile up over the years, police detective Escherich (Daniel Brühl) is tasked to track down the ones responsible for the anti-Nazi cards while being pressured by his increasingly impatient SS superior (Mikael Persbrandt) for an arrest for this "treason," regardless of actual guilt. As the stakes rise even as Nazi Germany's day of reckoning approaches, Otto and Anna, quietly protective of endangered Jews (Monique Chaumette) are determined to spread the truth regardless of the odds even as their opposition awaits the fatal mistake that could doom them. The entire film is wondrously underplayed - cinematography by Christophe Beaucarne, musical score by Alexandre Desplat - by the gifted actors Gleeson, Thompson and Brühl and the result is a near overwhelming sense of sadness and honor for those souls who had the courage to resist Hitler's horror. It is a very fine film that deserves a wide audience - especially now.

"Alone in Berlin" is supposedly based in actual facts about a couple of working class Berliners, Otto and Elise Hampel, that after Elise's brother died in the the taking of France by the III Reich in 1940, they start a shadow campaign against Adolf Hitler by writing anonymous postcards and leave them in strategic places through the city. Well, the message of this movie directed by the actor-turned-director, Vincent Perez who also co-wrote the screenplay, based on the 1947 fictionalized novel "Every Man Dies Alone" by Hans Fallada, is that the couple (as portrayed in this film) were, in fact, hypocrites. So, before the death of their only son (everybody knows that every war is tragic, and casualties of war are, unfortunately, expected), they both were avid Nazi Party supporters, like the majority of the Germans during the early stages of the Second World War and the wife was even in a League for support the wives of soldiers in combat and encouraging them to become useful for public and factory work to help the war efforts and then suddenly, both had a change of heart and their political & social beliefs. Losing their only offspring, surely is 'hell on earth' for every caring parents, but if the son hadn't died, does the parents still started their campaign against Adolf Hitler ? Let me repeat myself that it was 1940, before the deportation of Jews & Germany was in full gas, summing victory after victory for the glory of the III Reich and the viewer must be situated in the time which the action takes place for full analyzing this peculiar case which serves the main plot of the movie and it did look indeed far-fetched & unrealistic. Technically and artistically, the movie looks good for its budget, even if it is limited in outdoor's scenarios, but it's OK in recreating Berlin in the early 40's. The pacing is too slow and nothing much happens in the middle, there's some sub-plots included, like the elderly Jewish lady who lives in the attic, just for adding a little more juice to the whole, but the final product is tasteless and a bit dull. Emma Thompson & Brendan Gleeson deliver good performances limited to the given material & Daniel Bruhl can do this type of role in his sleep, the witty & cocky German who is obstinate in his wills. Verdict: "Alone in Berlin" is a way forgettable film that give us nothing new in the subject matter, it may worth a watch for fans of this trio of actors & maybe earns an 1 or 2 extra points for the production values and i'm being generous.

Before the advent of the Internet people used letters and cards to express how they felt..... Alone in Berlin is a simple film with a simple premise. Words are more powerful than warmongering totalitarian governments and the censorship and oppression that follows in their wake. Its a timely message, given the advent of the modern surveillance state, that uses intimidation and slyly orchestrated censorship, in an attempt to gag critics. Then, as now, we see how ordinary people refuse to be silenced and search for a way to find a voice. Alone in Berlin employs a strong cast of UK and European actors. Its decently directed and employs a minimalist approach to narrative, that works extremely well. All in all a decent film that's worth your time. Eight out of ten from me.

"You're to blame. You and your damn war! You and your damn fuhrer!"There are countless films about the resistance during WWII. But I had never heard of a German resistance against the Nazi regime. I'm sure there were more German citizens who weren't set up with the affairs of the German Empire. Most likely they kept this to themselves out of fear for reprisals. Anna (Emma Thompson) and Otto Quangel (Brendan Gleeson), whose name was Hampel in real life, may have had an aversion to the regime in the first place because their son had to join the German army. That's beyond dispute. The day they received a letter with the news that their son was killed at the front, is a turning point for both. Anna starts mourning in a serene way, while Otto's rebellious nature takes over and his plan is to write compromising messages on postcards and leave them behind at random places in Berlin. In this way he's trying to make clear to others that the country they are living in, isn't such an ideal place. Even if there's only one person who starts a silent protest as well, Otto still will be convinced that he has succeeded in his plan. Just look at it as a revenge for the death of his son."Alone in Berlin" isn't exactly an action packed movie and progresses slowly. All you get to see the whole movie is how Otto writes down in a patiently way his protest lyrics on a postcard (with kid gloves and in a different style of writing), the callous way these two resistance fighters interact with each other and an investigating held by the young police inspector Escherich (Daniel Bruhl). Although I actually wondered which tactic the inspector had in mind so he could track down those who are responsible. All he did was looking endlessly at a city map of Berlin with a whole series of flags pinned on it. Each pin represented a found postcard. 285 Postcards, to be exact. And the only clue that Escherich has is the handwriting on the cards. A handwriting revealing certain characteristics of the writer. That's about it.So besides a subplot about an old Jewish neighbor who's taken care of by the Quangel's if needed, one can only witness their silent protest and their relationship as a long married couple. A marriage with no affection and passion anymore. Even the letter about the death of their son, elicits no signs of any emotion. Despite the superb acting, it was all pretty boring. Even the use of English with a ridiculous sounding German accent, felt forced. This was obviously a strategic move, so they could put two big names on the payroll. "Alone in Berlin" does show that not all citizens were ardent supporters of Nazi Germany, but this one-man action ultimately had no influence on the rise of Adolf Hitler as we've learned in history classes. Eventually it was nothing more than a voice in the wilderness. Had they used the needles that indicated the places where the postcards were found, and planted those in Hitler's ass, it would have been more painful than this admirable action.More reviews here : http://bit.ly/1KIdQMT