Set in 1945 Berlin, "Phoenix" tells the story of a woman who survived and pretends to be herself in the face of her husband who believes that she's already passed on to the next life. Directed by Oscar nominee Christian Petzold, the Holocaust drama swirls with tightly knitted plot, wrapped with a strong sense of mystery, underlying deception and strong anticipation towards a grand revelation.
There are not many movies created during the time period of the post-Holocaust dateline. This is what makes "Phoenix" stand out as an intriguing narrative, tackling the circumstances which took place after the Jewish genocides and what form of madness lingers in the survivor's minds. As acclaimed by Daily Record, the film offers a different shade of what it's like when people overcome a tragedy.
The film is based on the 1963 Hubert Monteilhet novel entitled "Return from the Ashes," which Petzold and Harun Farocki transformed into a cringe-inducing narrative that continues to entice its audience with underlying suspense brought about by the plot.
In the case of Nina Hoss acing the lead role as Nelly Lenz, she managed to bring the viewers to experience the things she is going through as she relives the horror and fights to contain, reclaim and protect her real identity.
Her acting is exemplary as she portrays a person who was given the chance to live a new life after going through such tragedy, only to get her past catch up to her in the form of her husband Johnny, played by, Ronald Zehrfeld. However, help assures her in the person of her friend, Lene, played by Nina Kunzendorf.
At the end point, the film took an unexpected turn that will leave audience at the end of their seats. Although, just by looking at the trailer-one could already expect that an underlying revelation is bound to take everyone by surprise.
"Phoenix" is definitely an intriguing indie narrative to behold that will transport viewers back to a time when trauma and tragedy wrap the minds of the people living in greater parts of Europe. Its script is put together by Christian Petzold and the late Harun Farocki, with Petzold helming. It is scheduled to open in selected theaters in the US on July 31, 2015.
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