Nelly Lenz (Nina Hoss) has returned from a concentration camp, broken mentally and physically -- the camp has left her disfigured. Her friend, Lene (Nina Kunzendorf) provides a place to stay and aids her in the recovery process, as she receives facial reconstruction; but Nelly worries that the surgery will make her unrecognizable for her husband, Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld). After she has recovered, she begins the hopeful search to find him, a sentiment which Lene cannot match because of the rumors that Johnny was the one who turned Nelly in.
It's an interesting premise, made even more interesting once she finds him... but I won't spoil the rest of the film for you. What I will say is that the character development in this film is astonishing -- for Nelly, a broken woman trying to get her life back, and those surrounding her, everything has changed. This isn't your typical Holocaust film in that it doesn't plunge into the "action" with gory finesse, but the turmoil of the war is still painfully present in each scene. What makes it all the more interesting is the uncertain motivation that steers Nelly through the story.
That the entirety of the film builds off of such a strongly written character is a testament to the film's craft; everything about this film is beautiful, from the ambient sound to the perfectly chosen title. Hoss gives a magnificent performance, carrying you with her in her battle between hope and despair, as she tries to reshape her identity in the conditions she's given.
PHOENIX is now playing at the Midtown Cinema! Don't miss this one -- it is well worth the watch.
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