I enjoyed very much this movie as it was a blend between dark and fantasy. The actors fitted the roles and I liked the game between the "old" and "new" characters. What I liked the most was the fact that the movie was not predictable and had a touch of sensibility, which most movies nowadays tend to miss. As an European movie I recommend it without hesitation and the thriller part was blended perfectly with the dark story. As a minor observation I can add that the story could have gone a bit darker without fading away the sensibility of the father- daughter relationship. In this light, I think the movie can be improved, but the written part on which is based I think succeeds as a story. So if you want a quality movie, with an imaginative story and good actors, this is the right movie for you.
20 Reviews
Don't look back
Abominog6 February 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Interesting and unpredictable new take on the Invasion of the Body Snatchers set in a small and cozy community with a vague national identity (the neighborhood is located in a somewhat hypothetical European country).
Tense, often disturbing and occasionally scary, but nevertheless fascinating and heartbreaking psychological drama trying to address (and raising even more) eternal and complex questions, most people use to ask themselves, at least once in a lifetime:
The story isn't much preoccupied with its fantastic premise, doesn't care about "butterfly effect" aspect and effortlessly tackles the "time travel paradox" issues in its own grim fashion. Yet it is open for multiple interpretations.
But I'd rather say that this film has reinforced my strong belief that some doors are better left locked forever.
Tense, often disturbing and occasionally scary, but nevertheless fascinating and heartbreaking psychological drama trying to address (and raising even more) eternal and complex questions, most people use to ask themselves, at least once in a lifetime:
- what shall I do if I find a secret pathway led to relive my life?;
- what price am I ready to pay to be able to slightly re-adjust whatever I have done wrong;
- how far can I go to remedy irreparable and to get back what I have lost?; and perhaps the most essential question:
- do I really want a second chance to be offered?
The story isn't much preoccupied with its fantastic premise, doesn't care about "butterfly effect" aspect and effortlessly tackles the "time travel paradox" issues in its own grim fashion. Yet it is open for multiple interpretations.
But I'd rather say that this film has reinforced my strong belief that some doors are better left locked forever.
Drama to Suspense to Spooky...
TotallyBlunt27 August 2010
First I want to say that I have a couple of problems with the plot, some points that have got snagged in my mind and made me wonder, "But why didn't the writer...?". This is one of those times when I wish I had read the book (if there was a book) before watching the film to see if those points arise from the story or how the story was translated into film, but that would obviously defeat the purpose and kill the suspense, so I am better off having seen the film first. Let me say, seeing the film from beginning to end, I forgive those snags.
I will not repeat what the plot summary says. I just want to add that I liked the light world/dark world division, the secrets the supposedly light world hides and perhaps its reflections unto real world. I like the acting in general, the relatively slow pace of a thriller and how that slowness, without actually pacing up, makes the heart pace up and pulls the watcher into it. It's a make believe that you get lost in.
I wonder why there isn't a poster submitted to this web site, why the actors don't have photographs and why there isn't much buzz about the film. I wish the worldwide movie producers made use of a popular web site like this.
I will not repeat what the plot summary says. I just want to add that I liked the light world/dark world division, the secrets the supposedly light world hides and perhaps its reflections unto real world. I like the acting in general, the relatively slow pace of a thriller and how that slowness, without actually pacing up, makes the heart pace up and pulls the watcher into it. It's a make believe that you get lost in.
I wonder why there isn't a poster submitted to this web site, why the actors don't have photographs and why there isn't much buzz about the film. I wish the worldwide movie producers made use of a popular web site like this.
Karma police
dbdumonteil31 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
A fantasy and horror movie which does not rely on special effects,gore and monsters is a blessing in these days.Although ,it takes a certain time to take off,the movie is finally gripping ;its subject borrows from two very good (and sometimes a little overlooked) movies of the sixties:
-John Frankenheimer's "seconds" ,in which Rock Hudson is given a second chance at life from a secret organization. -Robert Parrish's "journey to the far end of the sun" aka " Doppelgänger" ,the second title says it all: a parallel world in which everything is reversed . I won't mention "matrix" which came much later.
"Die Tür" brings these elements all back home and is worth watching:his hero discovers by chance a door which opens the gate of a new world ,and thus finds the opportunity of saving his drowned daughter for he's taken five years back;but the price to pay is hard and he will not live happily ever after:in this nightmarish world,the values are inverted (see the police).And for once,the ending does not disappoint,for it may be a happy (or unhappy) end according to your own sensibility.
-John Frankenheimer's "seconds" ,in which Rock Hudson is given a second chance at life from a secret organization. -Robert Parrish's "journey to the far end of the sun" aka " Doppelgänger" ,the second title says it all: a parallel world in which everything is reversed . I won't mention "matrix" which came much later.
"Die Tür" brings these elements all back home and is worth watching:his hero discovers by chance a door which opens the gate of a new world ,and thus finds the opportunity of saving his drowned daughter for he's taken five years back;but the price to pay is hard and he will not live happily ever after:in this nightmarish world,the values are inverted (see the police).And for once,the ending does not disappoint,for it may be a happy (or unhappy) end according to your own sensibility.
...you reap what you sow in the village of the damned
bcheng934 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Let's start off by saying that Mads Mikkelsen has never been in a bad or unwatchable movie and he just continues to impress with every movie that he gets involved in. In case you've never heard of him, he was the main baddie in " casino royale ", he was one of arthurs swordsmen in " King Arthur " and i thought he really stood out among the other ensemble leads in that movie. Last year he was the co-lead along with Shia Leboeuf in " the necessary death of Charlie Countryman ". Uber talented actor and finally getting worldwide attention and in my opinion one of our planets finest male actors. Just look at that face...it shows so many emotions and he can do everything and has done everything from comedy to action.
This is one of the best movies i have watched in a long time and, i had been saving this movie for a while cause i knew it was going to be a good movie and boy!...,it sure didn't disappoint. The genre of this movie is very hard to describe, i would say it is a sci-fi, fantasy, suspense, thriller and finally drama.
As soon as you turn on the movie you are hooked into the story. The story is about a famous married artist(Mikkelsen) and his wife who works for a major pharmaceutical company and they have a lovely 7 year old daughter. While his wife is out working, he works from his home and also watches over the daughter when she is home. He has a very bad problem or addiction where he is not a one woman guy. He often slips out while at home watching his daughter to go to a neighbors house and shag her. The neighbor threatens to tell his wife if he breaks up this arrangement. During one of these trysts his daughter slips in the huge backyard close to the pool, with her shoelaces untied and she falls into the pool and her laces get caught in a filter at the bottom of the pool. Mikkelsen comes back from the neighbors house just not in time to save his little girl...cause he couldn't undo the laces that were caught in the filter. She dies and his already rocky marriage crumbles( the wife knows that he has cheated on her many times).
Cut 5 years down the line and the artist is now a shell of a man and his wife has remarried his best friend and former student. He regrets what has happened terribly, so much in fact where he has tried to commit suicide and is literally a functioning bum. One night he goes to his ex- wifes place just so he can see her...but she doesn't want to see him cause it causes to much pain, but she still cares about him. He leaves and goes back to their old house and in the yard he jumps in the pool and tries to kill himself. He looked particularly bad that night, that worried his ex-wife so she tells her husband(former student and still best friend) to go and make sure hes OK. Suffice to say that his friend gets there in time and jumps in and pulls him out. They separate and he wanders around till he gets to a spot where there is a lot of shrubs and bushes and he spots a hidden entrance.
Something makes him go in and it turns into a dark gloomy tunnel. He continues down the tunnel till hes almost at the end and he can actually see a ratty wooden door. He opens the door and by opening the door he gets a chance at redeeming his past life(5 years ago) and starting over. But wait...has he actually opened up a Pandoras box?????
Shows you that you can make movies at minimal budgets and still have it be a world class movie. All the leads were great, you really got into the movie and the minimal score was awesome, it set the tone so well in every situation in the movie. Good movies like this need to be seen by more people, but alas, it rarely does, every-bodies into watching big budget blockbusters or silly over-gored horror movies or dumb comedies.
Again...this was an awesome movie and i'm still thinking about it and it will not be a movie i will forget, as a matter of fact every movie with Mads in it i remember, even when he gets minor roles the guy still stands out. Mads, you rock!
This is one of the best movies i have watched in a long time and, i had been saving this movie for a while cause i knew it was going to be a good movie and boy!...,it sure didn't disappoint. The genre of this movie is very hard to describe, i would say it is a sci-fi, fantasy, suspense, thriller and finally drama.
As soon as you turn on the movie you are hooked into the story. The story is about a famous married artist(Mikkelsen) and his wife who works for a major pharmaceutical company and they have a lovely 7 year old daughter. While his wife is out working, he works from his home and also watches over the daughter when she is home. He has a very bad problem or addiction where he is not a one woman guy. He often slips out while at home watching his daughter to go to a neighbors house and shag her. The neighbor threatens to tell his wife if he breaks up this arrangement. During one of these trysts his daughter slips in the huge backyard close to the pool, with her shoelaces untied and she falls into the pool and her laces get caught in a filter at the bottom of the pool. Mikkelsen comes back from the neighbors house just not in time to save his little girl...cause he couldn't undo the laces that were caught in the filter. She dies and his already rocky marriage crumbles( the wife knows that he has cheated on her many times).
Cut 5 years down the line and the artist is now a shell of a man and his wife has remarried his best friend and former student. He regrets what has happened terribly, so much in fact where he has tried to commit suicide and is literally a functioning bum. One night he goes to his ex- wifes place just so he can see her...but she doesn't want to see him cause it causes to much pain, but she still cares about him. He leaves and goes back to their old house and in the yard he jumps in the pool and tries to kill himself. He looked particularly bad that night, that worried his ex-wife so she tells her husband(former student and still best friend) to go and make sure hes OK. Suffice to say that his friend gets there in time and jumps in and pulls him out. They separate and he wanders around till he gets to a spot where there is a lot of shrubs and bushes and he spots a hidden entrance.
Something makes him go in and it turns into a dark gloomy tunnel. He continues down the tunnel till hes almost at the end and he can actually see a ratty wooden door. He opens the door and by opening the door he gets a chance at redeeming his past life(5 years ago) and starting over. But wait...has he actually opened up a Pandoras box?????
Shows you that you can make movies at minimal budgets and still have it be a world class movie. All the leads were great, you really got into the movie and the minimal score was awesome, it set the tone so well in every situation in the movie. Good movies like this need to be seen by more people, but alas, it rarely does, every-bodies into watching big budget blockbusters or silly over-gored horror movies or dumb comedies.
Again...this was an awesome movie and i'm still thinking about it and it will not be a movie i will forget, as a matter of fact every movie with Mads in it i remember, even when he gets minor roles the guy still stands out. Mads, you rock!
creepy with an interesting premise
SnoopyStyle21 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Artist David Andernach (Mads Mikkelsen) is devastated after his daughter drowns in the family pool. Five long years of misery have gone by. He discovers a tunnel which leads back to the day of the drowning. This time he saves his daughter but ends up killing his other self in this alternate world. He buries the body and starts pretending to be his younger self. His daughter seems to be the only who notices.
The movie starts depressed and slow. When he kills his other self, it starts to turn creepy and weirdly compelling. It never really gets intense or scary as a horror. It's just creepy and dark. There is an element of paranoid tension that isn't fully exploited. The older guy isn't threatening enough. It's interesting but needs to be more engaging.
The movie starts depressed and slow. When he kills his other self, it starts to turn creepy and weirdly compelling. It never really gets intense or scary as a horror. It's just creepy and dark. There is an element of paranoid tension that isn't fully exploited. The older guy isn't threatening enough. It's interesting but needs to be more engaging.
Many interesting moments
Horst_In_Translation20 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
"Die Tür" or "The Door" is a 100-minute German movie from 6 years ago. The main character, David, is played by Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, already a distinguished Bond villain at this point. But let's talk about this film here. I quite liked the suspense from start to finish. We see a man who has an affair and has sex with his mistress while his little daughter drowns in a swimming pool. However, "lucky" for him, now a couple years later, he runs into a portal with the help of which he can reappear moments before the tragic accident and save his daughter. Next, this film takes on one question I have always been curious about in films about time travel. What happens when you find yourself from that era? And why, so frequently, isn't it happening. Well.. here it does and it has no good consequences for the old David. So, for a large part of the film, the new David lives the life of the old David until things get complicated in terms of a corpse and an aggressive neighbor and his "special unit".
This is a a bit of an identity theft movie even, only that he stole his own identity. Mikkelsen plays his part well as usual, but the supporting cast is fine too. Jessica Schwarz shines as the main character's wife. Heike Makatsch has a couple solid scenes as his mistress and Valerian Eisenbart plays her scenes nicely too. I am quite a fan and think she is among the most talented actresses from her (very young) age group. She played in recent years in the "Fünf Freunde" films and I'm sure we will see a lot more from her in years to come. And finally, lets talk a bit about Thomas Thieme. I really love him as an actor and it's bizarre how he is so unknown, even here in Germany, looking at all the famous films he appeared in. Unfortunately, I must say that I was not too impressed by him here. But that had nothing to do with his acting really, but more with the last half hour that I did not like that much really in terms of the writing. I thought this worked best when it was purely about identity theft and the main character's interactions with his family etc. and there was no need to make this so violent with people killing (and trying to kill) doppelgangers all the time.
All in all, this is a fairly great film for the first hour or so and okay for everything afterward. I recommend this to everybody who loves German films, love suspenseful thrillers, likes the actors (especially Mikkelsen) in here in other roles or is just interested in the depiction of time travel in movies. Pay attention to the blue butterfly. Anno Saul, Jan Berger and Akif Pirinçci, the people behind the creation of this film, have all worked on other movies I liked, so no surprise I liked this one here as well. Thumbs up, this was a good watch.
This is a a bit of an identity theft movie even, only that he stole his own identity. Mikkelsen plays his part well as usual, but the supporting cast is fine too. Jessica Schwarz shines as the main character's wife. Heike Makatsch has a couple solid scenes as his mistress and Valerian Eisenbart plays her scenes nicely too. I am quite a fan and think she is among the most talented actresses from her (very young) age group. She played in recent years in the "Fünf Freunde" films and I'm sure we will see a lot more from her in years to come. And finally, lets talk a bit about Thomas Thieme. I really love him as an actor and it's bizarre how he is so unknown, even here in Germany, looking at all the famous films he appeared in. Unfortunately, I must say that I was not too impressed by him here. But that had nothing to do with his acting really, but more with the last half hour that I did not like that much really in terms of the writing. I thought this worked best when it was purely about identity theft and the main character's interactions with his family etc. and there was no need to make this so violent with people killing (and trying to kill) doppelgangers all the time.
All in all, this is a fairly great film for the first hour or so and okay for everything afterward. I recommend this to everybody who loves German films, love suspenseful thrillers, likes the actors (especially Mikkelsen) in here in other roles or is just interested in the depiction of time travel in movies. Pay attention to the blue butterfly. Anno Saul, Jan Berger and Akif Pirinçci, the people behind the creation of this film, have all worked on other movies I liked, so no surprise I liked this one here as well. Thumbs up, this was a good watch.
Over-sophisticated European cinema - with a great performance though
BeneCumb21 November 2013
Within last decades, suspense thrillers have become trendy, and novelists and screenwriters try to create the source materials as mind-twisting and twisted as possible. While focusing on such a turn/twist, they form rather trivial story around it - intentionally or spontaneously. All this applies to the film in question, where the basic story is rather trivial, with keywords as middle-class family, jealousy, adultery... Well, a certain twist provides additional food for thought and even criminal moments, but all this is often difficult to follow, and collisions between someone and his/her younger version via traveling in time is not too compelling. The ending scenes add some action, but the solution is - well, you just shrug your shoulders...
As usual, Mads Mikkelsen gives a strong performance (in German), and there are a few scenes without his presence, but the rest are just good, not more; anyway, admirers of Mikkelsen and/or psychological drama thrillers do probably see more interesting angles.
As usual, Mads Mikkelsen gives a strong performance (in German), and there are a few scenes without his presence, but the rest are just good, not more; anyway, admirers of Mikkelsen and/or psychological drama thrillers do probably see more interesting angles.
A gripping and philosophical drama with a multitude of influences
kluseba11 April 2011
This movie is easily the best German movie I have seen in the last three years. It is a haunting and atmospheric drama with some science-fiction elements, an eerie touch of suspense and even psychological horror as well as some action scenes. This flick has also a strong philosophical character without being too educative. The gripping question of fate and morality may affect you way beyond this movie and I thought about this intense film many days after I have watched it first.
Normally, I hardly give elevated ratings but everything feels right about the movie. The acting of the movie is simply great. Let's point out that Mads Mikkelsen is playing the role of his life and proves once again that he is a great actor that is able to improve every time again and again. He is amongst my favourite actors now. There are many promising German actors that are delivering more than solid jobs here.
The scenario of this movie is based on a novel and filled with complex actions, cliffhangers and twists, just like a great book. I am really looking forward to read the novel now and though I can't yet compare both, I feel that the movie was intense, detailed and diversified. What I really find fascinating is that the movie, even though the main plot is based on a fictional idea that one could associate to a science-fiction or fantasy movie, the whole flick seems real, authentic and down to earth. The mixture is unique and credible. The movie is not about a magic door that leads to the past or present. This little and only fantastic detail helps to kick the whole story off and one is quickly face to face with situations that mix dreams and reality, wishes and deceptions, hopes and despairs so that one doesn't care about whether the introduction is not fitting or too unreal. This movie is not about something exactly supernatural, it's a lot about the true human character and its ideologies and behaviours.
The movie has what I consider a perfect structure, it slowly introduces the main characters and creates more and more a creepy atmosphere with some weird, surprising and shocking scenes that lead to a dramatic, emotional and action filled ending. You really get drowned into the whole story and feel with the characters.
The way the movie is filmed is full of details and the angels and close ups add a lot to the atmosphere of the film. The movie score underlines the incredible and creative story that starts as a drama and ends as a psychological thriller that is more intense than many horror flicks.
I highly recommend this brilliant and explosive mixture that touches your heart, your nerves and your brain. Spread the word about this rather unknown European flick that should gain worldwide attention as it has now come out in North America and the rest of the world.
Normally, I hardly give elevated ratings but everything feels right about the movie. The acting of the movie is simply great. Let's point out that Mads Mikkelsen is playing the role of his life and proves once again that he is a great actor that is able to improve every time again and again. He is amongst my favourite actors now. There are many promising German actors that are delivering more than solid jobs here.
The scenario of this movie is based on a novel and filled with complex actions, cliffhangers and twists, just like a great book. I am really looking forward to read the novel now and though I can't yet compare both, I feel that the movie was intense, detailed and diversified. What I really find fascinating is that the movie, even though the main plot is based on a fictional idea that one could associate to a science-fiction or fantasy movie, the whole flick seems real, authentic and down to earth. The mixture is unique and credible. The movie is not about a magic door that leads to the past or present. This little and only fantastic detail helps to kick the whole story off and one is quickly face to face with situations that mix dreams and reality, wishes and deceptions, hopes and despairs so that one doesn't care about whether the introduction is not fitting or too unreal. This movie is not about something exactly supernatural, it's a lot about the true human character and its ideologies and behaviours.
The movie has what I consider a perfect structure, it slowly introduces the main characters and creates more and more a creepy atmosphere with some weird, surprising and shocking scenes that lead to a dramatic, emotional and action filled ending. You really get drowned into the whole story and feel with the characters.
The way the movie is filmed is full of details and the angels and close ups add a lot to the atmosphere of the film. The movie score underlines the incredible and creative story that starts as a drama and ends as a psychological thriller that is more intense than many horror flicks.
I highly recommend this brilliant and explosive mixture that touches your heart, your nerves and your brain. Spread the word about this rather unknown European flick that should gain worldwide attention as it has now come out in North America and the rest of the world.
NOT sci-fi, therefore free of its requirements. A gripping, dark little modern fairy tale.
hoytyhoyty4 September 2014
The premise of this story is so utterly ridiculous, that you rapidly appreciate that it can go in any direction. Whatever the writers choose to pursue as the actual tale, is entirely their right.
What they do pursue, is a tense little drama based around the situation that the magic creates. The result is a dark, edgy, occasionally morbid fairy tale - one could argue that all fairy tales are like that anyway.
Mads gives his usual beautiful-teak performance (I'm sure the man has more than one act... then again, I don't really care if he does), and the supporting cast, particularly the wife and daughter, are excellent.
I did like the way the story gets on top of you, and accelerates. There is a story by Charles Stross that this movie reminds me of, but I can't give you the name without spoiling (it's also not one of his better tales I'm afraid).
Where I could possibly knock off points would be maybe in the logic, but then this isn't an SF tale, it's fantasy. It's also a little long for the tale it tells, it could have been just a bit more compressed for the content. Finally, it's just not a work that moved me - it's good, it's gripping, it's entertaining. But it's not high art.
I can recommend this film, just don't expect it to blow your mind.
What they do pursue, is a tense little drama based around the situation that the magic creates. The result is a dark, edgy, occasionally morbid fairy tale - one could argue that all fairy tales are like that anyway.
Mads gives his usual beautiful-teak performance (I'm sure the man has more than one act... then again, I don't really care if he does), and the supporting cast, particularly the wife and daughter, are excellent.
I did like the way the story gets on top of you, and accelerates. There is a story by Charles Stross that this movie reminds me of, but I can't give you the name without spoiling (it's also not one of his better tales I'm afraid).
Where I could possibly knock off points would be maybe in the logic, but then this isn't an SF tale, it's fantasy. It's also a little long for the tale it tells, it could have been just a bit more compressed for the content. Finally, it's just not a work that moved me - it's good, it's gripping, it's entertaining. But it's not high art.
I can recommend this film, just don't expect it to blow your mind.
Quite nice, but nothing special.
ingobert14 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The basic idea for the whole story... well... A magic that takes someone back in time doesn't necessarily have to result in that person then existing twice. However, the plot of the film is almost exclusively based on that, so that the doubles want to be at each other's throats. Quite nice, but nothing special. The same applies to staging and actors.
There are no other worlds, unfortunately, for the ones who lose a loved one
nicnik623 January 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This is a film in which the main character has to kill himself, carry the weight of his own body (and guilt-ridden mind), bury himself, unbury himself, flee from the sad truth and save what he can, but what can he? The sad truth, the conclusion of the movie is, for the ones who want to understand, that there are no other worlds, unfortunately. There is only one world, or only one truth in any better possible worlds, and this truth is that once somebody is dead, you cannot undo that, you cannot bring them to you and live with them in the same world. Not together, no! But to understand this you have to watch the film up to its final moment and see that the two are still bereft and nothing is actually better, except for the fact that now they realize it too. They think they have changed something. They want to think this and they need to think this, and so do we, as we all want our second chances.
Mads Mikkelsen is an outstanding actor, incredible in every way, and while I admit I watched the movie just to see him perform in one more role, I must give credit to this story which is so full of symbols and so full of meaning. I strongly recommend The Door both for its theme and for its actors. It is perfectly watchable and it will give some food for thought even to those who don't really appreciate science fiction and/ or mystery.
Mads Mikkelsen is an outstanding actor, incredible in every way, and while I admit I watched the movie just to see him perform in one more role, I must give credit to this story which is so full of symbols and so full of meaning. I strongly recommend The Door both for its theme and for its actors. It is perfectly watchable and it will give some food for thought even to those who don't really appreciate science fiction and/ or mystery.
Average Time travel movie..!
kamalbeeee24 January 2023
A father who lost his daughter by his reckless but he soon get a another chance to save her life...
After that he face lot of consequences becozz of time travel and his own daughter disagree that he is not her father...
Little boring and confused story and illogical scenes..
One time watchable...
A father who lost his daughter by his reckless but he soon get a another chance to save her life... After that he face lot of consequences becozz of time travel and his own daughter disagree that he is not her father... Little boring and confused story and illogical scenes.. One time watchable........
A father who lost his daughter by his reckless but he soon get a another chance to save her life... After that he face lot of consequences becozz of time travel and his own daughter disagree that he is not her father... Little boring and confused story and illogical scenes.. One time watchable........
A disappointment all in all
r96sk10 October 2023
An interesting concept no doubt, 'The Door' just doesn't execute it all that well.
It starts off decently and I was interested in seeing where it would go. However, I feel like it lost its way very quickly and suddenly became rather underwhelming. The performances of Mads Mikkelsen (who's German was actually dubbed by Ingo Hülsmann, annoyingly) and Jessica Schwarz, while more than fine, don't set the film alight either - nor do any other elements of this 2009 release.
A disappointment all in all. Forgettable!
/////////// s/o the cast: Mads Mikkelsen Jessica Schwarz Valeria Eisenbart Heike Makatsch Tim Seyfi Thomas Thieme.
It starts off decently and I was interested in seeing where it would go. However, I feel like it lost its way very quickly and suddenly became rather underwhelming. The performances of Mads Mikkelsen (who's German was actually dubbed by Ingo Hülsmann, annoyingly) and Jessica Schwarz, while more than fine, don't set the film alight either - nor do any other elements of this 2009 release.
A disappointment all in all. Forgettable!
/////////// s/o the cast: Mads Mikkelsen Jessica Schwarz Valeria Eisenbart Heike Makatsch Tim Seyfi Thomas Thieme.
Moving story around time travel. The usually annoying paradoxes do not stand in the way of enjoying it fully
JvH4824 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I saw this film as part of the "Imagine" film festival 2011 in Amsterdam. It's about time travel, and the usual unavoidable paradoxes make me cringe on average. Don't ask me, for instance, how and why the main character moves 5 years back in time to arrive exactly a few minutes before the dramatic drowning of his daughter. Of course (?), he arrives just in time to rescue her and to literally start a new life. And then he suddenly meets his five years younger counterpart...
Though similar issues could be spotted at will, this time there were so many compensating factors that I completely looked past them. We see normal human beings act in their environment, a well-to-do villa neighborhood, with no technical hocus pocus in sight. Several moving moments in the story will entertain a wide audience. You have to trust me in this, as I cannot tell more without spoiling.
When leaving the theater, I gave an "excellent" score for the public prize competition. The average geek who is in constant need of technicalities and gadgets, won't have much fun. But every other "normal" viewer will be satisfied with the casting, the acting, and the setting. Go see it for yourself, and bring your family with you. Don't be afraid that the usual time travel devices will come in the way, since there aren't any.
Though similar issues could be spotted at will, this time there were so many compensating factors that I completely looked past them. We see normal human beings act in their environment, a well-to-do villa neighborhood, with no technical hocus pocus in sight. Several moving moments in the story will entertain a wide audience. You have to trust me in this, as I cannot tell more without spoiling.
When leaving the theater, I gave an "excellent" score for the public prize competition. The average geek who is in constant need of technicalities and gadgets, won't have much fun. But every other "normal" viewer will be satisfied with the casting, the acting, and the setting. Go see it for yourself, and bring your family with you. Don't be afraid that the usual time travel devices will come in the way, since there aren't any.
A truly awesome film that deserves a wider audience
brendan-26817 April 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I had never heard of this film before renting it from the DVD store, but by the time the final credits rolled, man I was glad that I had found this little cinematic gem in the weekly DVD section.
The acting was great, the cinematography was awesome, the score was pitch perfect, and the script and pacing were excellent.
This story could have easily become a complicated mess of constantly reappearing Mads Mikkelsen's, but instead it opted for a more simple approach to time travel/alternate dimension theories, and in turn focused on building a really clever and strong plot line, rather than one with lots and lots of twists related to nothing more than an ever-repeating act of time travel.
I also really liked the fact that this film avoided the trap of becoming a fatalistic and depressing black hole - something that it could have easily spiraled into with such heavy subject matter - instead it maintains and ends with a strong sense of hope.
The only reason I didn't give this film the full 10 stars was because I felt the two sex scenes were just gratuitous, rather than actually needed (it seems to be a German film making requirement to have at least one graphic sex scene per film nowadays).
The acting was great, the cinematography was awesome, the score was pitch perfect, and the script and pacing were excellent.
This story could have easily become a complicated mess of constantly reappearing Mads Mikkelsen's, but instead it opted for a more simple approach to time travel/alternate dimension theories, and in turn focused on building a really clever and strong plot line, rather than one with lots and lots of twists related to nothing more than an ever-repeating act of time travel.
I also really liked the fact that this film avoided the trap of becoming a fatalistic and depressing black hole - something that it could have easily spiraled into with such heavy subject matter - instead it maintains and ends with a strong sense of hope.
The only reason I didn't give this film the full 10 stars was because I felt the two sex scenes were just gratuitous, rather than actually needed (it seems to be a German film making requirement to have at least one graphic sex scene per film nowadays).
One of the best European productions
MdlndeHond15 January 2011
One of the best European productions i have seen this year and absolutely Deutsche Grundlichkeit! Mads Mikkelsen would make Oscar material out of an airline safety video and he again is blowing is away.
When distraught artist Mikkelsen finds a door to a parallel world it looks to go his way. The story line makes sense from beginning till end in this top smart suspense script with superb performance by Danish sexiest man of the year Mikkelsen and Schwartz as his wife. This story burns slow, but fastidious, and it twists and twists and twists.
A perfect world is only one layer away from disaster is one that applies here and as said by André Maurois: a man cannot free himself from the past more easily than he can from his own body. The mundane average surroundings make you realize only half way that you are watching a master piece.
When distraught artist Mikkelsen finds a door to a parallel world it looks to go his way. The story line makes sense from beginning till end in this top smart suspense script with superb performance by Danish sexiest man of the year Mikkelsen and Schwartz as his wife. This story burns slow, but fastidious, and it twists and twists and twists.
A perfect world is only one layer away from disaster is one that applies here and as said by André Maurois: a man cannot free himself from the past more easily than he can from his own body. The mundane average surroundings make you realize only half way that you are watching a master piece.
One of the best Film Festival Movies I have ever seen
paprikacaramia23 November 2015
It was quite challenging, being in the states, to find this movie for my collection with decent subtitles. By far it has to be watched in its original German language. Watching the dubbed versions are horrific and kill the movie entirely. Which is a crime because this really is a very interesting and gripping film. That characters are dynamic and plot does manage to have it's twits and turns. The interactions are completely believable and, once again, Mads Mikkelsen turn in a very good performance. Then again he very very very rarely turns in a sub- par performance. Even the child actor in this is good. I can not praise this movie enough. Very high quality, in my opinion, and I'm usually pretty critical of movies. This is the international movie I show my friends when they tell me they want to watch something good from another country.
Going back has its price...
cdoggy9929 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Entertaining film about what happens when you find a way to go back to revisit your old life. It's when you find out that you just being there changes everything. And that you aren't the only one there "visiting". Mads M. delivers another dynamite performance. I also liked the actors that played the mom and daughter. And the older guy for representing the villian in this film. Nice little fantasy picture.
Nicht schlect, aber....
mitchmcc19 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this because I am studying German. Most of the German was above me, but it was still an interesting movie, in the "The Sixth Sense" style.
SPOILER ALERT
Maybe it's because I am a true crime buff, but when you have so many bodies of the "old" people that have been killed by their doppelganger from the future, at some point, people would notice. Like a whole city park full of graves!
Still, I would recommend this. Mads Mikkleson is pretty good.
SPOILER ALERT
Maybe it's because I am a true crime buff, but when you have so many bodies of the "old" people that have been killed by their doppelganger from the future, at some point, people would notice. Like a whole city park full of graves!
Still, I would recommend this. Mads Mikkleson is pretty good.
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