Good German, The'
UK Rated: 15
Runtime: 107min 34secs
Tagline: If war is hell then what comes after?
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

Plot Outline
This one is a book to film adaptation of a novel by Joseph Kanon. Set in post-war Berlin. In order to cover the Potsdam Conference, an American military journalist (George Clooney) is called in, only to find himself drawn into a spiral of events including a murder investigation of his driver (Tobey Maguire) who he finds with involved with his former mistress (Cate Blanchett). There is more to her than meets the eye, this may have cost his driver's life. How far however is he willing to go to uncover the mystery behind her?

Overall Impressions:
The feature is in black and white and it works surprisingly well capturing a certain mood that seems crucial for this genre. At many a moment you find yourself concerned about characters safety merely due to the eery alleys and doorways capture in b/w. It's an interesting story but perhaps a little slow-paced. By the time it all unravels I did find myself caring very little of the outcome. A little snipping during the editing stage certainly would have added more impact.

Performances are top-rate all round, I was most impressed by Blanchett, her accent seemed flawless. Clooney seems to have a history with the director that seems to show & Maguire, well, let's say as a sinister little chap, he's showing he's a little more beyond Peter Parker.

An eerie noir reminisent film, niche audience flick. (6.5 out of 10)