Berlin Syndrome (2017)

The title plays with our expectations. Unfortunately, I found the film too long in duration but also too short to dig deeper.
Berlin Syndrome is a good title. He plays with our expectations. The title probably refers to " Stockholm Syndrome ," which, as we know, is a psychological response in which the abducted hostages are beginning to feel sympathy for the kidnappers irrespective of what they have experienced before. Is our main character Clare will experience a shift of perception, not only accept his destiny but also begin to fall in love with his captor, Andi?

No one with common sense who would accept the person who held him for (maybe) months ago made him a girlfriend, unless you are Kristin from Swiss Credit Bank Sveriges who was so in love with the hostage taker that she canceled her engagement with her boyfriend. This logical fact makes the main concept of the film, which, when viewed from the title, is a suspension of whether our main character "will" or "will not," no longer be, uhm, suspens. We know what will happen and the movie does not give any kind of convincing diversion to make us believe it will happen or not.

Even so, the tension of the film is enough to make one more powerful reason not to travel alone to a strange city, especially if you are a young woman and seduced by a handsome man. man may be big (body), but not necessarily good heart. I'm sure this movie must be more frightening for the female audience. Interestingly, Berlin Syndrome takes a different approach from its premises on the surface. This movie is not a killing-killing thriller but a psychological thriller. Instead of being a shallow gore film with scenes of torture or sexual abuse, Cate Shortland who picked up the script from Shaun Grant from Melanie Joosten's novel adaptation tries to move deeper by focusing on the psychological aspects of both the offender and the victim.

Clare ( Teresa Palmer ) is an Australian girl, who, like most millennials who have too much money, travels abroad in search of identity. He traveled the city of Berlin alone, shopping, or taking photos of historic buildings. Clare's personal seems to be fun, because she can easily mingle and hang out with the youngsters around her hostel.

"Almost everyone who walks alone is lonely," said the handsome Andi ( Max Riemelt ). Andi who is a high school teacher, seems funny, friendly, and warm. Oh, moreover he also offers fresh strawberries; no one does not like strawberries. So, Clare deliberately delayed his trip to Dresden, then with horny (I value from his gasping breath) back to visit Andi. Both spent an exciting night in Andi's apartment. True, something terrible is about to happen, but Clare will not know that yet.

Well , Clare already has a hunch, but there you go. In the morning Clare found the apartment door locked from the outside. When I get home from work, Andi apologizes not leaving a backup key. Clare believes heavily and still has not come home yet. The next day, he saw the key on the table, but finally realized that Andi did not want him to leave.



Shortland built the setup with an effective storytelling. He uses a minimal exposition that is intertwined seamlessly with the story. The first half is the best part of the movie. We know anything that happens in Andi's apartment will not get to the outside world. "Nobody will hear you," Andi said in a hot moment as they first fluttered. No one else will hear as Clare graffs trying to run away later. The window of his apartment was broken. Mobile phone network is not there.

There are scenes that will make a lot of pain, but Berlin Syndrome is mostly about the dynamics of the relationship between Clare and Andi, promising something that seems to be related to the title of the movie. As time went on, except for the fact that he was being held, Clare was treated normally. Andi brought him flowers, presents, cooked food, bathed to cut Clare's nails. However, we can still feel the sadness and exhaustion of Clare thanks to the strong appearance of Palmer. Its characteristics are more based on gesture and expression. Palmer shows a complex character regardless of the fact that his character is not very talkative and not very described his background.

Shortland divides attention equally for both the main characters. For the Clare character, we are invited to take a peek at the transition of his mental state. Andi gets a portion for a glimpse of the past and what is most likely to make her what she is. Although not enough to make us empathize with Andi, Riemelt plays his role with a calm and sincere that suggests that this maniac has at least a soft side. He was more like a melancholy man who could not resist his crazy obsession. Not a bit we see Andi as a criminal who though had several times to do sadistic.

Unfortunately, I found this movie too long in duration but also too short to dig deeper. Movies come to a climax that is not so explore what is trying to lift. His grip begins to loosen when his setup is over. In the middle of the movie Clare looks too tired from being caged for the caution. I also began to get tired when the movie rambled there.

---

---

Should you follow @showflix?
If you are interested in what is in post @showflix or you need a reference movie that is up to date and does not want to miss the movies that will be released, then what are you waiting for, please follow @showflix.

Because @showflix also supports you writing something about it (or you). And I will not do a plagiarism of anything that belongs to you. The more followers we have, the happier we are, am I right? so, do you follow @showflix?

If you do that then you support @showflix to grow more rapidly. @showflix will be useful when you need a reference of quality and interesting movie. Moreover, you will not be stuck in the house, right? You also have to watch an interesting movie, then you can choose, review, and know the actor/actress who played a role in the movie.