Rent Berlin Syndrome (2017)

Misogynistic garbage - Berlin Syndrome review by Alphaville

Female backpacker meets nice local man in Berlin. They spend half an hour getting it together. You can zap that, as does the trailer. Then he keeps her locked up in his flat. That’s it. The trailer tells the whole film in less than two minutes, so watch that and save having to sit through this awful film

It might have been cheap to make, but it’s another distasteful film about a misogynistic man who tortures women. It’s unpleasant and predictable, running through all the usual clichés: she cajoles him, she fights him, she tries to escape… Whoever thought that such a grotesque story was still suitable cinema material in 2017? Shame on the female producer and female director who made it. And shame on the critics who unaccountably found merit in it.

Not original, but good - Berlin Syndrome review by SB

The central story - weird man locks up young woman - is not original (cf 'The Collector', and others), but this is a fairly competent version, set in the grimier parts of modern Berlin and with a good central performance by a de-glamorised Theresa Palmer as the Australian woman who is at first willing but finds herself trapped. The part of her captor is not played over the top. There are loose ends - it seems highly likely that in reality she could have escaped given the opportunities available - although one issue is how much she wants to do so. That however is not fully explored. And the ending is not very satisfactory.

Despite an interesting premise, I just couldn’t get into this film, despite the actors efforts - Berlin Syndrome review by TB

I rented this film after seeing many good reviews for it, plus I always like to find something new & interesting to watch. 

This film starts out well and builds tension up nicely. Clare is holidaying in Berlin and meets charismatic Andi whilst out. She goes back to his flat for sex, then wakes up the following morning to discover that he’s left for work and locked her in. The building that she is in is totally secure and there is no way out. The first day this happens, she is slightly perturbed but lets it slide. However, it then becomes apparent that she is in fact a prisoner there and cannot escape. 

When the film first starts picking up pace, I was very interested, plus also the deep unease that it creates really affected me. But then the film just coasts and loses its way. I found myself after about 40-45 minutes just bored and getting fidgety, then switched it off a few minutes later. It was in one way quite an achievement that a film that had started this good then just nosedived. 

I may one day re-rent it and give it another shot, in which case of course I’ll update this review if I change my mind, but I cannot recommend this at the moment sadly, despite its positives.