"Phoenix" (2014 release from Germany; 98 min.) brings the story of Nelly (played by Nona Hoss). As the movie opens, we see a badly injured Nelly being driven to the hospital for facial reconstruction. Upon entering Berlin's American Zone, the US guard forces Nelly to remove the bandage, which she does, to the belated horror of the guard. After the facial reconstruction (or "re-creation" as her friend Lene calls it), Nelly only has a fleeting resemblance of her old self. Eventually Nelly goes looking for her husband Johnny. When she locates him, he does not recognize her, but instead he asks her to pretend to be Nelly, so as to be able to claim Nelly's family inheritance. At this time we are 15 min, into the movie, but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from German director Christian Petzhold, who previously has brought masterpieces like Barbara, Yerichow, Yella (all of which also star Noina Hoss), The State I Am In, and Gespenster. Petzhold is in my opinion one of Europe's most important and best directors, period. "Phoenix" touches many aspects: there is the immediate aftermath of WWII, and the enormous scars (physical, mental, and other) incurred by the Jewish people who managed to somehow survive; then there is the psychological mind games played by both Johnny and Nelly (did Johnny betray Nelly during the war? is Nelly betraying Johnny now?). It all plays out brilliantly. Check out the movie's final scene (no worries, I won't spoil), which stunned me and everyone else in the theater. Nina Hoss, in her 4th collaboration with Petzhold, brings another daring and touching performance as the shattered and brittle Nelly. Wow, just wow.
Even though this movie is a year old, it just now found its way to my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati. Better later than never, I suppose. I couldn't wait to see "Phoenix". The matinée screening where I saw this at this weekend was PACKED, somewhat to my surprise and delight. If you like a top-notch quality foreign movie that will stay with you long after you've seen it, you cannot go wrong with this, be it at the theater, on Amazon Instant Video, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray. "Phoenix" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
