Review: Berlin Syndrome


Teresa Palmer stars as an Australian photojournalist in Berlin who makes fast company with Max Riemelt, and well, one thing leads to another leading to the next morning. So what of the next morning? Well, funny thing…Palmer has a little trouble…sort of kinda maybe leaving Riemelt’s apartment. He has left for his day job as a teacher, and left the door locked. When he returns he acts like it’s no big deal, but the same thing keeps happening and it’s not long before Palmer realises she’s been held prisoner by a disturbed young man. And yet…she still seems somewhat drawn to the guy (hence the clever title).



Although decently performed, Aussie director Cate Shortland (“Somersault”, one of those films that received a lot of critical love during a dreary period in Aussie cinema) gives us much ado about nothing with this kidnap thriller from 2017. It’s like a more sexual “Captivity”, and although I’m the only person who didn’t hate that ‘torture porn’ film, I think this is the lesser of the two. Teresa Palmer is decent in the lead, and Max Riemelt isn’t too bad, either. However they aren’t good enough to make up for an unpleasant, slow-moving, and ultimately pretty underdone film. The cinematography is a bit too dark, as well.



There’s just not much going on here and it didn’t interest me a whole hell of a lot, I’m afraid. Your mileage may wildly differ. The screenplay by Shaun Grant (the disturbing “Snowtown”) is from a hopefully fuller Melanie Joosten novel. For me the best thing is the adorably Teutonic version of Petula Clark’s classic ‘Downtown’ played at one point (by a singer named Ina Martell). Hell, it might even be better than Clark’s English-language version if I may be so bold.



Rating: C-

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