The Good German (2006)

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  April 8, 2012

  ironclad1609

  Director Steven Soderbergh's homage to 1940s film noir cinema stays true to the filming methods used back in the day: the camera work, lighting, music, everything. That's a little strange at first, but you gotta admire the tenacity with which this is pulled through from the begin... read morening to the end. As for the plot, it starts out slowly and with what seems to be a rather unlikable character. 20 minutes in a rather unexpected death gets things moving and the film gets more interesting with every minute from then on. Overall, we go through three narrators as we switch perspectives throughout the plot. The acting is great, especially Cate Blanchett seems to have emerged right from that era of cinema. There's even the Casablanca homage in the end. An interesting, even if not overwhelming experience that's pretty entertaining and well done.

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  January 30, 2012

  danperry17

  In the end, on an airstrip in the rain, it became clear what Soderbergh thought he was doing: making a new Casablanca. And while the "zigzag plot" praised in the film's promotional copy shares this with the classic, no other elements are even comparable. Tobey Maguire is complete... read morely miscast, and the film suffers, I think, from a point-of-view problem. Cate Blanchett's character, Lena, is by far the most interesting, and has the most to contribute to the story... so why does the film present itself as being "about" the journalist George Clooney plays?
  
  SPOILER COMING
  
  The film would have been much more successful had we worked from Lena's point of view. Show us first that Brandt is still allive, then watch her mislead us and the journalist until the end. If she is truly the "good German," then make her the hero.
  
  As it is, though, this film is a stinker. The new black-and-white footage was well-yoked to the old newsreel stuff, but that's the nicest thing I can say about it. A lot more than an old-timey score is needed to create tension; primarily, emplotment. This movie just didn't have it, and as a result, Soderbergh's experiment in noir is a colossal failure, and for lack of a better word, flat-out boring.

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  November 10, 2011

  hunterjt13

  A serviceman investigates the death of a smuggler who was having an affair with his ex-girlfriend.
  The story of this film is such a classic noir that all its twists and turns are predictable, bordering on cliche, and director Steven Soderbergh is clearly paying homage to the dire... read morectors of the early forties, particularly Michael Curtiz. But there's a line where homage meets cliche, and at its few good points -- usually involving a perfectly framed shot of Cate Blanchett in black and white or George Clooney's badly written but well delivered voice over -- The Good German rests on the homage side, but it lives in cliche.
  The Good German experiment, which is what it seems, makes me wonder if classics are classics because they have a style that one can imitate or if they attain classic status by being perfect expressions of their times. After watching Soderbergh's attempt to cherry pick style of the two options, I have to think that classics are not inimitable, to be appreciated but not duplicated.
  Overall, I found The Good German interesting only on a theoretical level, but we can talk about film theory without wasting time on this movie.

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  October 26, 2011

  blkbomb

  Lena Brandt: You can never really get out of Berlin. 
  
  "Not Everyone Finds Peace After The War"
  
  One thing I got while watching The Good German is that Soderbergh made this movie for himself. It is easy to see that he loves 40's noir and he probably had a lot of fun paying homage... read more to those films. If we are only looking at how well he did in making a movie that feels like it was made 60 years ago; he did one hell of a job. If there were no faces I recognized and the profanity was dropped, I would have easily mistaken this for a film from the 40's. The cinematography is perfect, the music is perfect and the overall tone of the movie is perfect. What isn't perfect is the plot. 
  
  This movie is so close to being one of the coolest movies ever. If only Soderbergh would have worried about the story as much as the style. This is a glaring example of style over substance. As far as a plot synopsis, ummm... Clooney's character walks around postwar Berlin questioning people about the whereabouts of a suspected dead man and ultimately trying to fine out what happened to some driver named Tully. That is about it. So I didn't really enjoy this film so much for the plot. But to be honest, I didn't really care that much.
  
  I was interested the entire time, without being riveted by the events of the story. I had fun watching a classic noir made in the 21st century. Had this movie been made in the 40's and not recently, I would probably hate it. But I appreciate Soderbergh's guts to make a film like this. Obviously most people aren't going to like it and I assume he knew that going in. It is cool to see a filmmaker who makes a movie just for himself every once in awhile. Kind of like what Gus Van Sant has been doing since Good Will Hunting. Do you really think he thought people would respond well to a Psycho remake? No, but that is what he wanted to, so he did it.
  
  This isn't a great film, but it is interesting filmmaking at work. If you love classic noir, The Good German is worth a look. Will you like it? Odds are, no. I can't say that I really liked it, yet I know I didn't dislike it. I just found it to be a cool and unique film from a cool and unique director.

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  September 16, 2011

  kenstachnik

  More of an interesting experiment than a successful film. The juxtaposition of classic style with modern violence, sexuality and violence really reminded me of Scorsese

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  May 15, 2011

  cosmo313

  If it weren't for the profanity, nudity, and the violence (well, the way it is sometimes presented, that is), you would think that this film came out during the 1940s.
  
  That's by design though, as this is essentially an exercise is genre and technique more tha nanything. The fil... read morem has the look, feel, and style of a 1940 film noir, and was even created like one- using the same type of cameras, lighting, and art direction. The opening credits sequence is a gem. It's just a shame the rest of the film doesn't maintain that same high level.
  
  Why the mild recommendation, then? Well, I should give this a C+, but I'm so enamored with how this was done that I have a hard time crapping on it like I should. Besides, everyone else rips on it already. I figure it could use a defender.
  
  It's has a similar plot to stuff like Casablanca and The Third Man, and it definitely apes from those films (in ways too numerous to name), but, while it never reaches that leve lof greatness, the film is very much something interesting, even if it doesn't fully hit the mark. Call it a noble failure.
  
  The main issue is that the audience can't really invest in the characters or story. There should be more character development and something about the characters that would make people care. The acting isn't bad though. I mena, Tobey Maguire is a little out of place, but he doesn't quite ruin things.
  
  With this film's desire to be like a 40s film, it seems odd to me that they'd throw in modern elements that wouldn't have gotten past the Hays Code (language, sex/nudity). They should have truly gone all out and really made it like a period piece down to every detail.
  
  Besides not caring about the characters, the story seems a little all over the place, which is a shame. I do like the dealing with feelings of guilt and survival, though.
  
  Okay, so, while this film isn't great, it's not that bad either. I may be slightly inflating my grade, but I can't help it that I just love what Soderbergh and Co. tried to do here. It's just a sahme it couldn't have been as great as it should have.

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  May 25, 2010

  neverteaseaweasel

  I seriously do not understand why everyone hates this movie. I'm probably just easily entertained and impressed, but I really liked it. It's really wierd how much the film is like old Hollywood dramas. I knew that was part of the intention, but this was far more than I ever had e... read morexpected. The Good German completely mimics the style. The cinematography, the style of the sets, even the characters and dialog. The film isn't reministant of any one piece, but of the style as a whole. I'm generally not all that fond of "classic" films, but The Good German draws from all the best and brightest elements of that era. If nothing else, the film is fun for the sheer novelty factor. Cate Blanchett is amazing. She has got to be one of the most diverse actresses around. The story is a bit on the weak side, but it does not really detract from the rest of the film. The sheer broody angst and atmophere makes up for it. Idk, I'm still in disbelief that I had never heard of this movie and that everyone hates it. It's stylish and intoxicating, wierd and desperate, modern but still a tribute to the cinema of days gone by.

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  October 1, 2009

  SirPant

  This film is awful. Why on earth they thought it would be a good idea to film a post war era film in a classic noir style is beyond me, they couldn't even get it right! I saw the cameraman's shadow twice! This film falls flat on its arse and almost becomes a parody. The acting is... read more abysmal with only Clooney surviving (just), Blanchett and Maguire are ridiculous (what?s the point of Maguire when we have Gyllenhaal?), the script is stupid, naughty words 'n all and the story, well that's the biggest disappointment of all. It?s like Soderbergh tried to remake Casablanca! Maybe he is as crap a director as I always thought he was! Avoid!

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  November 18, 2008

  pier007

  Cheap neoclasicism is what Steven Soderbergh, his screenwriter and actors did. This bunch of retrogrades can't come up with something engaging in the tradition of Casablanca, the third man, or germany year zero.
  George Clooney and Toby Maguire produce some good results (though th... read moree latter looks out of place), and Cate Blanchett keeps mimicking Marlene Dietrich with flat results.
  Stylistically interesting, but hollow in the rest.

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  September 27, 2008

  allan913

  A powerful and masterful edge of your seat thriller that mixes romance and mystery in one fantastic and marvelous movie. A masterpiece. Director, Steven Soderberg never fails to at being a superb and brilliant filmmaker. Movies dont get better than this. Stylish and engrossing fi... read morelm noir in the old black and white tradition and works wonderfully. A teriffic, explosive, haunting and unforgettable film. Endlessly compelling and electrifying. Intriguing and dazzeling. Feels like and looks like a classic. George Clooney is brilliant. Cate Blanchet is stunning.

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• George Clooney as Jake Geismer
• Cate Blanchett as Lena Brandt
• Tobey Maguire as Tully
• Beau Bridges as Colonel Muller
• Tony Curran as Danny
• Leland Orser as Bernie Teitel
• Jack Thompson as Congressman Breimer
• Robin Weigert as Hannelore
• Ravil Isyanov as General Sikorsky

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• Which movie has this tagline : " The German Democratic Republic lives on ? in 79 m²! "  Answer »
• Which Actor Was: -Red Pollard In Seabiscuit -Peter Parker In Spiderman -Tully In The Good German -James Leer In Wonder Boys -David In Pleasentville  Answer »
• This person was in Ocean's 11, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Three Kings, White Jazz , and The Good German. Who is he?  Answer »
• In The Good German the cinematography is an omage to what classic film?  Answer »

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• The Good German Scene: You Should Have Never Come Back To Berlin
• The Good German Scene: You Have No Idea What You're Dealing With
• The Good German Scene: Why Didn't You Tell That You Worked For The Rocket Progrram
• The Good German Scene: The Russian Goverment Wants This To Go Away
• The Good German Scene: I'm Off The Clock
• The Good German Scene: You've Been Looking For Him
• The Good German Scene: Who's Emil Brandt
• The Good German Scene: I Used To Live Here Before The War

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