Phoenix - B

Rated PG-13, 98 minutes
In German with English subtitles

Tense, evocative and superbly acted, the moody German drama "Phoenix" is a must-see if you enjoy an unconventional romance mixed with some historical fact. A disfigured concentration-camp survivor (Nina Hoss) and former singer named Nelly, unrecognizable after facial reconstruction surgery, searches ravaged postwar Berlin for her husband Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld) who might have betrayed her to the Nazis. Directed by German director Christian Petzold ("Barbara") and co-written by Petzold and Harun Farocki, "Phoenix" is a slow-moving, character driven tale of romance and betrayal and is one of the best foreign films of late. The involving yet bittersweet story will draw you in quickly, and is filled with complex layers that requires viewers to stay with it until the end; the film also works as a tragic love triangle, also involved is Nelly's friend Lene (Nina Kunzendorf), which adds some deeper romantic elements to the story. "Phoenix," which is so named for the club that Nelly sang in and met her husband, isn't all perfect, as its slow-moving, dialogue-heavy story won't appeal to all, and some might not care for its rather downbeat, but certainly evocative, climax and ending. "Phoenix" has a jazzy score which elevates its moodiness, and with its detailed costumes and sets, it evokes the mid-1940's Germany perfectly. If you enjoy character-driven, moody period romances, then the satisfying, well-acted tale known as "Phoenix" is for you.