She Can See Her Future, But Can't Escape Her Past.
Triebel is an outstanding presence in this slow-burning thriller, which continues to smoulder long after the credits roll.
Not quite a spy thriller, not quite a period drama and not quite a cold war portrait, West is lacking in focus but has atmosphere to spare.
The toxic effect on West Germany of its division from the East proves fertile ground for drama in Christian Schwochow’s smartly structured film about a single mother’s defection from the GDR.
Friends and informants become indistinguishable in this intriguing Berlin-set counterpoint to The Lives of Others.
Edinburgh Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Friday July 3, 2015, until Monday July 6, 2015. More info: www.filmhousecinema.com
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