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Jul 19, 2017 By Austin Trunick Web Exclusive

Martha lives alone in a powerless cottage on the scenic shores of Ibiza. A German expat permanently scarred by the horrors inflicted by Hitler, she refuses to return home, speak her country’s native tongue, drive its cars or drink its wines. Her stance falters when she befriends a young, German man named Jo, an aspiring club DJ nearly four decades her junior. As their relationship blooms, their eyes are opened to points of view both have spent their lives refusing to acknowledge.

Barbet Schroeder’s latest is a quiet romantic drama, shot entirely on the beautiful Spanish island and set only months after the fall of the Berlin wall. Almost entirely conversational, Amnesia moves along at a good pace thanks to impeccable performances from its core cast, Marthe Keller (Marathon Man) and Max Riemelt. (Wings of Desire’s Bruno Ganz turns up as a former German camp officer and delivers a brief—but powerful—monologue.) Amnesia debuted on the European festival circuit more than two years ago, but its stateside release in 2017 feels poignant. In an era where our political and social views are shaped as much by stubbornness as they are by ideals, the film’s message carries considerable weight.

www.filmmovement.com

Author rating: 7/10