Today’s quick review: The Good German. In the wake of World War II, reporter Jake Geismer (George Clooney) returns to Berlin to cover the peace talks taking place there. But his visit takes an unexpected turn when he runs into Lena Brandt (Cate Blanchett), an old flame from before the War. Warned to stay away by her new lover Tully (Tobey Maguire), Jake gets drawn into a mystery involving secrets from Lena’s past and a man who should be dead.
The Good German is a crime drama and mystery from director Steven Soderbergh that recreates the look and atmosphere of a 1940s noir. Set in the chaos of post-War Berlin, The Good German examines the scars of World War II, the profiteering that followed it, and the painful cost of seeking the truth. The movie does a good job of adapting the themes of the noir genre for a modern audience, but it’s held back by a mediocre plot and an unbalanced tone.
The Good German makes for a heavy watch. The movie has the moody atmosphere and devastating setbacks that are typical of the noir genre but not the tact to balance them out. Instead of a tense situation where the worst implications are left to the viewer’s imagination, The Good German is explicit about how bad things have gotten in Berlin. Cynical characters and unforgiving plot twists make the movie even bleaker than the noirs of the classic era.
The drawback of setting such a dark tone is that it makes the movie difficult to invest in. Tully’s manipulative streak and Lena’s cold personality are arguably justified by the story, but they are steep barriers for the audience to overcome when trying to connect with them. Jake is a more accessible character, but he lacks the force of personality of most noir protagonists, resulting in an investigation that never feels concretely motivated.
The Good German shows enough craftsmanship that it’s worth a watch for those wondering what a more explicit take on the noir genre would look like. But nearly everything it tries to accomplish is handled with more skill by the classics it’s imitating. The Good German never strikes the balance of hope and cynicism needed to make even darker stories work. As a result, most viewers will find it to be a bleak and unfulfulling watch.
For a classic noir with a similar premise, try The Third Man. For an iconic movie with similar themes and a better tonal balance, try Casablanca. For a much more tragic take on the horrors of World War II, try Schindler’s List or Life is Beautiful.
6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for a moody mystery without much payoff.