Phoenix

Name: Phoenix
Genre: Drama, History
Released: July 24, 2015
Duration: 98 min
Rating: 89
Cast: Felix Römer, Imogen Kogge, Michael Maertens, Nina Hoss, Nina Kunzendorf

2015

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 30 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 97 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 97 Ratings

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Phoenix (US)

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Movie Details & Credits

Sundance Selects | Release Date: July 24, 2015 | PG-13

Starring: Felix Römer, Imogen Kogge, Michael Maertens, Nina Hoss, Nina Kunzendorf, Ronald Zehrfeld, Trystan Pütter, Uwe Preuss

Summary: Nelly (Nina Hoss), a German-Jewish nightclub singer, has survived a concentration camp, but with her face disfigured by a bullet wound. After reconstructive surgery, Nelly emerges with a new face, one similar but different enough that her former husband, Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld), doesn’t recognize her. Rather than reveal herself, NellyNelly (Nina Hoss), a German-Jewish nightclub singer, has survived a concentration camp, but with her face disfigured by a bullet wound. After reconstructive surgery, Nelly emerges with a new face, one similar but different enough that her former husband, Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld), doesn’t recognize her. Rather than reveal herself, Nelly walks into a dangerous game of duplicity and disguise as she tries to figure out if the man she loves may have betrayed her to the Nazis. [IFC Films]… Expand

Director: Christian Petzold

Genre(s): Drama, History

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 98 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Stephanie Zacharek

Jul 21, 2015

The director's last film was the superb 2012 Barbara, also starring Hoss and Zehrfeld, another romance with a mystery built in; Phoenix is an even finer piece of work, so beautifully made that it comes close to perfect. Read full review

100

RogerEbert.com Brian Tallerico

Jul 24, 2015

A film this satisfying on every level — one that can be enjoyed purely for its narrative while also providing material for hours of discussion on its themes — is truly rare. Read full review

100

Steven Rea

Aug 13, 2015

There is intrigue. There is suspense. Guilt - a man's guilt, a nation's - hangs heavy in the air. Read full review

Rene Rodriguez

Aug 6, 2015

The movie isn’t a thriller, but it still generates a strange sort of emotional suspense - an incredibly intense drama that makes you hold your breath, and it builds toward a total knockout of a final scene in which the story is resolved with hardly a word. Read full review

Joe McGovern

Jul 23, 2015

The plot is just implausible enough to keep the film from greatness, but director Christian Petzold (Barbara) stirs up a powder-keg metaphor about rebuilding after war. Read full review

The Guardian Ryan Gilbey

Jul 21, 2015

It’s a testament to Petzold’s sane head, steady hand and effortless storytelling skill that implausible plot-points are smuggled past us in their own blood-soaked bandages. Read full review

Mike Scott

Aug 28, 2015

If viewed as a literal narrative, the post-war German drama Phoenix, with its implausibilities and contrivances, works only so well. If viewed as an allegory, on the other hand, it ends up as something else entirely -- something intriguing, complex and altogether moving. Read full review

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User Reviews

alisasas

Aug 6, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Film incredibly sensual and emotionally seduce the viewer. Aside from the historical thread and the fact how destructive effect the war had on human nature, it is testing deepest feelings such as respect, desire to save a loved one or even love. the movie also shows how easy love can turn into hate, joy in the deepest disappointment, what an incredible force is revenge, and how powerful is the silence.… Expand

5 of 5 users found this helpful50

GinaK

Sep 7, 2015

Phoenix is one of the finest films I have seen this year. Although basically a story of love and betrayal, the tension is increased dramatically by setting the story during the holocaust when a wife could be conveniently discarded and exploited if she were Jewish. Nina Hoss was astonishingPhoenix is one of the finest films I have seen this year. Although basically a story of love and betrayal, the tension is increased dramatically by setting the story during the holocaust when a wife could be conveniently discarded and exploited if she were Jewish. Nina Hoss was astonishing and flawless, and the direction and story were riveting. I was reminded of Fassbinder, but Petzold creates characters that are less abstract and more believably human.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

LetScar

Jul 26, 2015

Beautiful movie, I do not know if it's because I'm excited because recently watched... No, the movie really surprised me, great acting of Nina Ross, which I like a lot. And Petzold, I didn't know him, worked masterfully this unique and touching story.

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

Spangle

Mar 30, 2016

This is the first film I have seen by Christian Petzold and what an introduction. Nina Hoss is revolutionary in Petzold's post-WWII drama thriller Phoenix. The film is a borderline haunting experience that thrives on subtlety, exemplified by Hoss' performance. The film has been described byThis is the first film I have seen by Christian Petzold and what an introduction. Nina Hoss is revolutionary in Petzold's post-WWII drama thriller Phoenix. The film is a borderline haunting experience that thrives on subtlety, exemplified by Hoss' performance. The film has been described by others as being a bit of a noir film and this is most certainly true, but more than the mystery element here, for me is the drama. Phoenix is a film that rips your heart out as you watch this woman realize what has happened in the aftermath of her being sent to a concentration camp. Though Holocaust films are almost overdone at this point, Phoenix manages to breathe a breath of fresh air into this subset of films. Phoenix is deeply affecting and really rips your heart out repeatedly as you watch this woman grapple with the fact that her life is changed forever.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

whitewind

Aug 29, 2015

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. "Phoenix" is very well done, but could have been better. The plot mostly makes sense, and characterizations are very good. It is somewhat "talky" in the middle, but this passes. There are two areas, however, in wrapping up the story which could have been easily improved and would have made the picture somewhat more convincing and whole movie going experience more fulfilling. One concerns the departure of Lene, Nelly's relative, from the story. The other is the way the ending is handled. Suffice it to say that the ending could have have been portrayed in a more conclusive manner.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

GreatMartin

Aug 11, 2015

“They don’t make them like the did in the old days, “ is the cry of many senior film buffs, including me. In “Phoenix” the director, and co-writer with Harun Farocki, Christian Petzold certainly tries. With bits of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” here, Kander and Ebb’s, with Fosse’s,“They don’t make them like the did in the old days, “ is the cry of many senior film buffs, including me. In “Phoenix” the director, and co-writer with Harun Farocki, Christian Petzold certainly tries. With bits of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” here, Kander and Ebb’s, with Fosse’s, “Cabaret” there, this movie, as film noir, cries out for a Barbara Stanwyck or Lana Turner and to have been filmed in black and white.

The story of a woman, Nelly, who had her face damaged by a gunshot wound in a German concentration camp has her face reconstructed after the war and goes looking for her husband Johnny. Upon finding him he doesn’t recognize her and tries to get her involved with a get rich scheme by having her impersonate his late wife so he can get her inheritance that was left by her relatives who died in the war.

“As Time Goes By” is an important part of “Casablanca” as are “Again” in “Road House” and “Que Sera, Sera” in “The Man Who Knew Too Much” and this movie too has a song that becomes an important part of the story, by Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash, called “Speak Low” which is heard throughout the film and impacts the ending.

Nina Hoss, as Nelly, may not have the sexuality of a Lana Turner, and is a beauty in her own right, but she is the equal of Barbara Stanwyck in the acting department. She can and does say a lot with a look, her eyes through bad or good and the way she holds herself. You watch her progression from a scared, downtrodden woman to the beautiful, confident woman she was before the war. Ronald Zehrfeld, as her husband Johnny, who thinks that she can pass for his wife that could help him put his scam over has doubts about who she really may be but not enough to stop him. Zehrfeld has a romantic innocence that makes him seem less the villain than he is.

Another major, but undeveloped, role is Nina Kunzendorf as Lene, who does a lot for Nelly but their relationship isn’t quite defined and is unceremoniously out of the film before the halfway mark.

I was told by Allen that the film was an analogy of Germany after the war but I will admit it went right over my head! It might account for why I didn’t like the film as much as I expected to but it did introduce me to Hoss, Zehrfeld and Petzold enough for me to want to see the previous films they have made together.

“Phoenix” is a German film with (some poor such as ‘sit up‘ instead of ‘sit down‘) subtitles running 98 minutes.… Expand

1 of 3 users found this helpful12

wisewood

Jun 19, 2016

do not waste your time on this miserable movie..cannot understand why the movie critics liked it.
unbelievable at best..a husband does not recognize his wife? her voice /mannerisms / walk or handwriting
the story could have been over in 5 mins.. the only reason we kept watching was fordo not waste your time on this miserable movie..cannot understand why the movie critics liked it.
unbelievable at best..a husband does not recognize his wife? her voice /mannerisms / walk or handwriting
the story could have been over in 5 mins..
the only reason we kept watching was for some sort of answers/explanations dont hold your breath there arent any… Expand

1 of 4 users found this helpful13

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