Rotten Tomatoes

Movies / TV

    Celebrity

      No Results Found

       View All       Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

      Barbara

      PG-13 2012 1h 45m Drama List
      94% 84 Reviews Tomatometer 76% 2,500+ Ratings Audience Score An East German doctor in the 1980s is banished to a small country hospital. Read More Read Less Watch on Prime Video Stream Now

      Where to Watch

      Barbara

      Prime Video

      Watch Barbara with a subscription on Prime Video.

      Barbara

      What to Know

      Critics Consensus

      Smart, solidly grafted, and thoroughly gripping, Barbara offers a deliberately paced, subtly powerful character study.

      Read Critics Reviews

      Audience Reviews

      View All (162) audience reviews
      isla s This is a somewhat sobering film, featuring numerous patients needing treatment in the small hospital the titular character finds herself posted to. Its perhaps a little bland but it isn't entirely dull, just there isn't a whole lot going for it either, so I'm in somewhat of two minds about it. The script is ok and the characters are mildly interesting but its certainly not a gripping watch. Its somewhat thoughtful I suppose. The main character is someone I could feel sorry for and understand her concerns and longing to be elsewhere... I guess its a film about identity really, self identity. This is a domestic drama, with a slightly arty feel to it I suppose. I wouldn't go out of your way to see it but its certainly an alright film in itself, so if it sounds of interest then it may be worth you watching it, yes. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review william k Finely directed character study draws a well-observed, realistic depiction of Eat German society and life in the 1980s, a somber melodrama with a touching ending; Nina Hoss is fully convincing in the title role as a woman trapped in the restrictions, but also silently fighting against them. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Beautiful. Hopeful. Loved the sexy men who are unwitting rivals (unknown to each other) for this courageous, passionate woman. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member This is a terrific movie that works on many different levels. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/11/23 Full Review Audience Member A very good portrait of life in Eastern Germany. Magnificent performances, supported by a script with the sensitivity and intelligence to reflect the nuances of the historical context and characters. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/10/23 Full Review Audience Member Petzold and Hoss produce truly inspired works of filmmaking. Hoss is an intense presence: tremendous range, great intelligence, and lovely. Petzold is among the very finest of directors of his time, and is still in his prime. His fluid mix of the intellectual, the visceral, melancholy, and unadulterated reality in his films is rare. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

      Cast & Crew

      Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

      More Like This

      View All Best Movies to Stream at Home
      98% 86% Monsieur Lazhar 13% % Louder Than Words 47% 36% Skateland 92% 82% Still 100% 82% Good Day, Ramon Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

      Movie News & Guides

      View All Movie News & Guides

      This movie is featured in the following articles.

      Now Streaming: Parks and Recreation, Serenity, And More Critics Consensus: Jack Reacher Features Tom Cruise in Control

      Photos

      View All Barbara photos

      Barbara

      View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (84) Critics Reviews
      Stanley Kauffmann The New Republic It persuades us early on that its aura of political tension and suspicion, its taciturnity, its very strictness of silent observation as it begins, are fostering an intelligent thriller. Jun 17, 2013 Full Review Sam Adams Philadelphia City Paper Petzold handles personal, formal and political concerns in such harmony that it's difficult, and not especially desirable, to separate one from the next. Rated: A- Mar 21, 2013 Full Review Walter V. Addiego San Francisco Chronicle The movie examines the possibility of maintaining one's humanity in a truly oppressive society. Rated: 3/4 Mar 8, 2013 Full Review Savina Petkova A Good Movie To Watch The film owes a lot to its lead, Hoss, who has become a staple of Petzold's career, with her stoicism and towering presence as Barbara – a symbol of obstructed mobility. Rated: 83/100 Nov 24, 2023 Full Review Lucía Roitbarg EscribiendoCine A film that harmoniously and eloquently handles subtlety, emotion, and imagery. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 8/10 Aug 15, 2023 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Barbara finds Petzold at his best, questioning borders and exploring human melodrama under the shadow of politically charged contexts. Rated: 4/4 Mar 3, 2022 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis An East German doctor in the 1980s is banished to a small country hospital.
      Director
      Christian Petzold
      Producer
      Michael Weber
      Screenwriter
      Christian Petzold, Harun Farocki
      Rating
      PG-13 (Some Sexual Material|Smoking|Thematic Elements)
      Genre
      Drama
      Original Language
      German
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Nov 13, 2014
      Runtime
      1h 45m
      Most Popular at Home Now