The Good German

by Ari

Steven Soderbergh’s stylish new film The Good German is the closest thing to classical, old-fashioned Hollywood studio-system entertainment since the Coen Brothers’ underrated 2001 thriller, The Man Who Wasn’t There. Like the Coen Brothers, Soderbergh understands how to successfully recreate the tone and atmosphere of the 40’s without needlessly calling attention to himself. As deliberately stylish as The Good German is, the studio-system feel works for the story instead of unnecessarily distracting from it. Soderbergh has his actors play it straight and serious, never resorting to blatant self-references or treading towards self-parody. The actors play it real, grounding the story in the reality of post World War II Berlin. The realism of the drama makes the entire enterprise that much more classical, resulting in one of Soderbergh’s least pretentious, most enjoyable films. The Good German is classy entertainment that’s sure to please audiences who love Hollywood pictures from the 40’s, a decade many consider to be American cinema’s finest - myself included.

It will be difficult for this film to reach a wide audience, but ambitious, singular work is nothing new for Soderbergh. I admire the fact that Soderbergh is prolific, turning out films for mainstream audiences (Oceans 11 & 12) along with films for himself (Bubble, or his segment in Eros). The Good German falls somewhere in-between his mainstream and personal work - accessible in every way, but most likely unappealing for those who have little to no interest in Hollywood’s history. This film is structured, paced, and visualized with classical technique, from its crisp black & white photography, to its sharp and witty dialogue, to its dramatically composed score. The Good German is a mystery/thriller, and like most mystery/thrillers of the 40’s, it’s concentrated more on plot and exposition than character development and thematic depth. Which is not to say the characters are thin and dull, or that it's thematically limp or empty. Like the films that influenced it, the mystery and secrets of The Good German are the most important and thrilling aspects of the story. The two strongest inspirations are obviously The Third Man and Casablanca, following the structure of the former while evoking the visuals and performances of the latter. It’s effective homage done with more delicacy than might be expected. And while the film stumbles a bit during its second act, the overall experience is satisfying and memorable.

Military journalist Jake Geismer (Clooney) returns to post war Berlin in 1945, only to find himself caught up in a mysterious plot that concerns his German ex-girlfriend Lena (Cate Blanchett) and her missing, sought-after husband. When Jakes returns to Berlin, he’s assigned a driver by the name of Tully (Tobey Maguire), a young soldier who benefited from the war and just so happens to be romantically entangled with Lena. As Jake puts it, “how is it that my fucking driver is fucking my old girlfriend?”. Lena wants desperately to leave Berlin, and Tully is determined to see her wishes come true. Her husband, Emile Brandt, is believed to be dead, yet both the Russians and Americans are still searching for him. Who is this man? And why is he so important? Emile Brandt is the Harry Lime of this film - the character that seems to possess all the answers. Or is he? When Tully is found dead after making a deal to deliver Emile to the Russians, the investigation begins and secrets are revealed.

Jake trusts no one - not the Russians and not the Americans. He wants to help Lena escape Berlin, knowing full well that’s she’s a major piece to the puzzle. It would be a disservice to describe any more of the plot to a movie that has so much fun revealing its many twists and turns. None of them are very surprising, but watching the secrets unravel is part of what makes this so enjoyable. The first act is particularly brilliant, featuring Tobey Maguire in maybe the most entertaining performance of his career yet. Tully is rotten and violent, possessive of Lena and aggressive towards everyone else. When he realizes Jake has a past with his girl, he beats him senseless. When Lena disapproves of his plans, he punches her in the gut. Maguire clearly relishes the role, playing against type with energy and charisma. He’s so good, in fact, that the film slows down considerably once he’s gone. The mystery involving Jake, Lena, and Emile is nothing fascinating, but the actors do commendable work and keep things relatively interesting. Blanchett is excellent as the attractive, but dangerous female lead, and Clooney is his usual charming, entertaining self. He makes the most out of his role, injecting the film with humor while still establishing a dramatic basis to the story.

The real star of The Good German is Soderbergh, who displays his directorial talents with real style and intelligence. His cinematography is among the best of the year - beautiful, atmospheric, and sharp. Very impressive is how Soderbergh blends actual news footage into the film to seamless effect. His cinematography is almost identical to the actual news reels from the 40’s on certain occasions, an example of his exemplary craft. Thomas Newman contributes a lively and classical score to accompany the characters and mystery, a solid piece of work by a talented composer. The Good German is smart and fun, another bright moment for the talented Steven Soderbergh. Good show.