En la sombra

This film is engaging throughout, especially given its subject matter. I really feel Katja's pain. The court room drama is intense, and the ending is even more intense and unexpected.

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.

Fatih Akin doesn't need to prove he knows how to direct or that he is a capable director. But if you need another example here it is. One might say he gets back to his roots or rather his first film somewhat with this. But with the spin that he concentrates on the female perspective. You could also argue that the male might come from that world he created with his first movie (which some may argue is his "Mean Streets" - except he didn't stay in that genre).

Diane Kruger is really exceptional in this and very close to real life. So you won't see any over the top and unbelievable stuff happening here. And it all leads to an ending that will either satisfy you or leave quite empty and maybe annoyed. It is tough to please everyone of course, but if you like slow burning drama with thriller elements in it, this is really good. Devastating and painful, but good ...

Diane Kruger is a very underrated actor. This little gem of a movie yet again showcases her enormous talent. The emotional range she is able to express with only the slightest nuanced eye movements is amazing.

This is an excellent little movie dealing with human tragedy at an extremely personal level. The raw presentation of the victim's emotions and actions is superb. No American melodrama or saccharine cosseting.

I feel it drops to an 8 only because the evil motivations of the perpetrators is not adequately explored. They are treated almost as faceless protagonists instead of the critical components they are

Still, a compelling watch!

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.