It's dull. It's supposed to be dull. The family is dulled by Dad's job that benefits their lives while subtly traumatizing each of them. No there are no fight scenes or views of mass murder. It's just about the quiet existence of the family next door taking it all in with no clue about what it's doing to them. Brilliantly done.
Mixed impressions here. I saw it this weekend, not quite sure what to expect. The trailer is actually quite representative for the overall movie. The story told could be summarized in 10-15 minutes, it’s mostly conveying the surreal atmosphere of a family home next to a death camp, somewhat having the character of a documentary, but without really explaining anything. There is always a distance to what’s happening, I couldn’t relate to any of the characters and was left with a feeling of emptiness once the movie was over. This is probably one of those films you have to see a couple of times to catch all the nuances and eventually appreciate it.
A masterpiece of subtlety. How do you tell a story everyone already knows, and still make it shocking? surprising? chilling and yet revelatory? Sets, costume and styling are superb; great attention to detail.Dialogue - much of which is overheard or contained in chit chat, is nevertheless powerful and reveling of the dogma of the day. Soundtrack was amazing…a constant, low level of disquietude. The house and garden are like characters, along with the family, wearing blinders and creating their own separate world.
No build up. Did not specifically define anything that was happening next door. I was extremely disappointed. They should have done a narrative before and after to help explain the storyline. Would not recommend to anyone
Chilling - divvying up of clothes and other items, without a thought to whom they belonged. Children playing gleefully right next door, oblivious to the horrors going on on the other side of the fence, which we don't see but we know. Subtitled.
Extraordinary, essential, fearless and terrifying. It demands courage from its audience. I was impressed by the way the harm we hear but never see is taken in by children who do not know what is going on and yet are wounded beneath the shadow.
I must SAY, I've never seen a so-called 'war movie' that focused on Hitler's 'Final Solution', and LOCATED AT the camps (like Auchwitz which I'm likely misspelling), yet without SHOWING except in theory what really 'went on' there.....although the Germans lived with it, spoke freely about it, and enjoyed the benefits of slave labor and everything they were stealing from the refugees, not the least of which was their dignity. So unnerving...disturbing...unusual? Definitely. So......I have to say....the jury (MY jury) is STILL OUT on this one. Def. NOT a 'date flick'. There's no soldiers fighting each other, tank battles or folks trying to Escape even!! So I'm giving it a '3' for now.....
Brilliant and disturbing. Very well acted.
I couldn't take my eyes away from the screen, it's absolutely chilling to witness Auschwitz from the viewpoint of a Nazi family. I saw it months ago at a film festival and I still remember so many details of it.