The Good German

If you love classic films from the 1940's, you'll like The Good German (be warned, it is far more explicit than those old movies. This is not kiddie fare). If you like film noir from the 1950's, spy thrillers from the 1960's or George Clooney, you will like this film. It is beautifully shot and wonderfully acted. Cate Blanchett is an interesting mix of Marlene Dietrich sex and Greta Garbo moodiness. George Clooney - who I always associate with roles where he is ultra-cool and completely in control - is a lot more vulnerable in this movie and no longer the guy who has everything. As another character tells him, "You've gotten everything else wrong, Jake, why not keep going". But the true stretch here is Tobey Maguire. If you're drawn to his all-American, gee-whiz wholesomeness in movies like Seabiscuit and Pleasantville, then you are in for a surprise here. His character is not only a lousy person, he's lousy on a pathetic, two-bit scale. Set in post-war Berlin, the film is ostensibly about solving a murder and uncovering a plot to protect the reputation of German scientists. But really, it's about survival and the extent to which people will go to accomplish their aims. Lena (Cate Blanchett) is the most obvious example of this, as she has turned to prostitution in order to eat. But the other aspects of her life, and the goals of the other characters who have come to Berlin, are also about surviving. The plot is full of shifting allegiances, double-crosses and tension (as any good noir film should be), and the backdrop of rubble and bombed-out buildings is just as bleak as the characters. The last scene was such an over the top tribute to Casablanca that I laughed out loud when I saw it, which was a little disconcerting considering it was the big depressing climax of the story. Ah well, it was a lovely film to watch.