Undine

The Romantic Agony: Undine and victim

Christian Petzold's Undine is the most romantic film of the year and one of the more accomplished. Petzold has plopped the ancient myth of the water nymph into present day Berlin. His heroine is a lecturer on Berlin's urban development which dovetails nicely with the picture's utilization of the great German city as backdrop and supporting character. The inhabitants of Undine coexist with a rich tapestry of history, but are also busy creating their own fables, myths, and romantic legends. Petzold knows that the primeval myths of Germany stem from its forests, rivers, and lakes. Accordingly, the main encounters in Undine with the other worldly occur outside of Berlin.

We first meet Undine when she has just gotten the elbow from a beau. She rebounds instantly and miraculously upon meeting Christoph, a diver who spends much of the film repairing underwater turbines. Undine and Christoph have instant rapport and undying affection. The destruction of an aquarium upon their first meeting signals the tidal wave of sexual attraction that sweeps them away. The appearance of magical realism in Petzold's work took me some getting used to. The film even includes a giant catfish (a big fish) named Gunther. By the film's end, I was swept away.

Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski, who paired in Petzold's Transit, offer two of the most compelling performances of the year. Even when their character's actions are outlandish, there is no denying that they fully embody their motivations and quirks. Some may not be able to suspend their disbelief, but Undine conveys that love is a mystical connection that defies reason.