Julian RuncanThe Good German: Some Bad Schnitzel
March 18th 2010 04:09
The style of films from the 1940s was very unique, often imitated but difficult to recreate. A combination of technological limitations and aesthetic tendencies give the era a very particular feel: highly stylized but gritty. The first few minutes of The Good German are mesmerizing, mostly because of the way that Steven Soderbergh managed to recreate this aesthetic. The film looks like it was actually made in the 1940s, revolves around Nazis, and every character is constantly playing the others. The only problem is, as much as The Good German wants to be Casablanca, it doesn't come close.
Although the style is very impressive, everything else about the film falls a little short. The mystery elements of the plot are simply not captivating, and none of the dialogue has the crisp charm that the film noir classics were known for. The characters are fairly generic and barely developed, leaving the audience amazed at how little they actually care about the truth, or any of the characters' motivations.
Blanchett and Clooney's performances suffer from bland dialogue and horribly clichéd motivations, but Tobey Maguire manages to steal many of his scenes and remind people that it's a good thing he is no longer locked into playing Spider-Man forever.
With the right script doctor helping to liven up the dialogue and give the characters some depth, the film could have been a modern masterpiece and rejuvenated the film noir genre. Instead, all that resulted from the plethora of talent involved seems like a wasted attempt at an homage. If the film managed to have the wit of a true noir classic, The Good German would have likely been a major Oscar contender. Instead, we are left with a star-studded cast, a talented director, and a movie from less than five years ago that few people have even heard of.
4/10
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