Berlin Syndrome (2017)
Film Review
By the Geezer of Oz
“A passionate holiday romance leads to an obsessive relationship, when an Australian photojournalist wakes one morning in a Berlin apartment and is unable to leave.” [IMDB]
This slow-burner from director Cate Shortland (Summersault, Lore) is a thriller that delves into the horror of what can happen when a holiday romance goes from exciting to obsessive in a short time. The film begins with open spaces in the urban scenery and architecture of Berlin and moves into the claustrophobia of a backstreet apartment, where the complex relationship between hunter and captor is explored.
Shortland is an extremely capable director who has become adept at creating dreamlike worlds of wonder that have an eerie undertone, foretelling of the change that is about to come. The journey keeps the viewer compelled and Shortland, as always, brings the best out of her actors (especially Teresa Palmer, who is fantastic as Clare, and Max Riemelt, who does a great job as Andi, shifting from an intelligent charmer to an obsessed predator).
Although, the pace can be slow in parts and might turn off some viewers, the payoff is very much worth it. When lines like “Do you like strawberries? They make you forget your problems” can sound both romantic and creepy, you know you’re onto something.
Worth the trip. 7.5/10.
