The Good German

Steven Soderbergh plays with form and mostly disregards the story. As a fan of Hitchcock's films and film noir in general, I appreciate how he uses elements such as black-and-white cinematography, the use of archival footage, and the overall visual style that truly captures the essence of the 1940s and 1950s. However, that doesn't change the fact that Clooney's acting at times comes across as parody. The story itself is quite dull and doesn't have anything to captivate the audience with. And were there really no German actors on hand? (28.03.2014)

It’s something between A Foreign Affair, Witness for the Prosecution, and Charlotte Gray. We of course also get Germany in year zero. Let Casablanca sleep if you want to talk about the style of the post-war 1940s and films from bombed-out Berlin... Personally, I was very skeptical about The Good German because of the cast, but in the end, I have to admit that at least Clooney proved to me that he's not just a star. On the other hand, I began to have doubts about Maguire. However, the fact that Cate is the new Katharine Hepburn was already confirmed in The Aviator. In fact, she could now play all of her films in her own style and participate in exact copies of her actual films. Simply more films that leave the retro label far behind and meld it into enjoyment. (08.11.2010)