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SLIFF 2017 Review – BYE BYE GERMANY – We Are Movie Geeks

Review

SLIFF 2017 Review – BYE BYE GERMANY

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BYE BYE GERMANY screens Wednesday, November 8th at 9:15pm and Friday November 10th as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival. Both screenings are at The Plaza Frontenac. 

In 1946 Frankfurt, David Bermann (Moritz Bleibtreu of “Run Lola Run” and “Munich”) and his Jewish friends have escaped the Nazi regime and are now dreaming of leaving for America. But how will they get the money in these tough postwar times? The smooth-talking businessman focuses on what the Germans now need most: fine bed linens nicely wrapped in amusing stories! The six talented entertainers go from home to home, praising housewives until the flattered ladies have no choice but to buy their irresistible items. Business flourishes and a bright new future can be seen on the horizon. But questions about Bermann’s past catch up with him: Could he have collaborated with the Nazis? The smart, uncompromising U.S. officer Sara Simon (Antje Traue) refuses to close the interrogation and wants to get to the heart of Bermann’s wartime memories. Although she matches his quick wit with iron severity, it becomes increasingly difficult for Sarah to escape David’s charm.

Review of BYE BYE GERMANY by Cary Paller

There is something different, something special about “Bye Bye Germany”.  It takes a familiar story of complete human devastation gives it an aftermath approach without covering the same ground we have seen before in films like “Life is Beautiful” and  “Schindler’s List” .  Sure, we could have seen more about what these characters had to deal with during the war but, instead we have  film that deals with these characters grown after surviving unimaginable horrors but focusing on how they choose to move forward as best they can. I would love to ask writer Michel Bergman what kind of back story he used to write the script.  Watching another holocaust film itself would have depressing since it has been done to perfection already.  All the main group of character were treated as humans not subhuman Nazi prisoners with  one one desire of that to keep living, who have moved on,they have not forgotten, but they have goals and dreams besides surviving.
The focal point is David Bermann, played brilliantly by Moritz Bleibtreu.  Who used his talent for being able to tell funny jokes to avoid death during the war.  He  hatches a plan, a scam really,  to sell linens door to door to the local German woman.  David’s plan is to milk whatever he can from the locals by using his friends and business associates who also have moved on after surviving.  They all have their demons from the war but realize they need  a fresh start in America.  Just as they begin to get ahead David’ past catches up with him  and it jeopardizes all of their plans.   As the friends all begin to have doubts and old trust issues because of the war they learn what is most important.  To my surprise the film stayed away from becoming a film noir spy thriller.  Which I was happy that it did not move in that direction.  Making this film a who or why done it would have minimized the growth of the characters.  Plus, it stayed away from becoming Hollywood.  Director Sam Garbarski crafted an old fashion period piece and not a cardboard version of one.  This was the first foreign language film I had seen in quite a while. I truly enjoyed the film and I did not want to feel depressed and wiped out watching bad things happening to people in camps.  Or watching some sort of Nazi underground chasing people around who might tell war secrets.  Instead  I was watching characters grow, or not, past the horrors of war by thinking of the future.