The Good German

R

Released Dec 15, 2006

1 hr. 45 min.

Drama

List

34%

153 Reviews

Tomatometer

33%

25,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Jake Geismar (George Clooney), an Army correspondent, helps his former lover, Lena Brandt (Cate Blanchett), comb post-World War II Berlin for her missing husband, who is wanted by American and Russian forces. Shadowing their efforts is Jake's driver, Tully (Tobey Maguire), a GI with connections to the black market. His loyalties unclear to them, Lena and Jake know that Tully has the power to lead them to salvation or great danger.

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Critics Consensus

Though Steven Soderbergh succeeds in emulating the glossy look of 1940s noirs, The Good German ultimately ends up as a self-conscious exercise in style that forgets to develop compelling characters.

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Kristy Y

This is the worst movie. Terrible acting and an even worse story line. Do not waste your time.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

01/06/24

Full Review

jelisije j

A nice homage to the classic Casablanca.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

jack s

A self-indulgent curiosity that has a classic vintage film look, but not the gripping story and memorable characters that could have made it special. Clooney is solid, Blanchett is great (as always), but the usually likable Maguire and Bridges are both mis-cast. Also, the screenplay is frustratingly confusing and the film's ending is completely flat—the audience has long been aware by then what depths Lena (powerfully played by Blanchett) is capable of to survive. In fact, the ending is a perfect example of what's wrong with film as a whole: the director seemed concerned exclusively with the Casablanca finale-like visuals.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

What a waste of time. You can not create the classic movie-making period of the '40s. Move forward, honor the past.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/14/23

Full Review

deke p

Xlnt modern film noir, post WW2 Germany in rubble, Clooney as reporter. Good cast. If you don't appreciate this genre, you won't get the movie. It was a downer. Saw on TV pbs 6.26.21

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Soderbergh does a real impressive job in recreating the look and style of a classic noir and he's got all the right people for the job. Clooney and Blanchette are perfect in their roles. The story is a little convoluted, but this is otherwise a damn solid love letter to film noir.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

07/28/20

Full Review

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Steven Soderbergh

Director

George Clooney

Jake Geismar

Cate Blanchett

Lena Brandt

Tobey Maguire

Tully

Beau Bridges

Col. Muller

Tony Curran

Danny

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Namrata Joshi

Outlook

There's a certain distance with which you view the characters, the involvement is not such that they stay with you after the film.

Rated: 2/4

Jan 24, 2019

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: B-

Feb 18, 2012

Full Review

Brian Tallerico

UGO

It's Soderbergh's commitment and creativity that lift The Good German above many of its peers, no matter the era.

Mar 24, 2007

Full Review

Murtada Elfadl

Sundays with Cate

Cate Blanchett's most underrated performance and the best she's looked on screen.

Rated: B+

May 1, 2020

Full Review

Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

In the finest tradition of some of our most celebrated films of all time, The Good German, is destined to join their ranks as a classic and timeless tale of lies, love, intrigue, political and moral corruption.

Nov 7, 2019

Full Review

Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

An utterly gaseous film

Aug 28, 2009

Full Review

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Synopsis

Jake Geismar (George Clooney), an Army correspondent, helps his former lover, Lena Brandt (Cate Blanchett), comb post-World War II Berlin for her missing husband, who is wanted by American and Russian forces. Shadowing their efforts is Jake's driver, Tully (Tobey Maguire), a GI with connections to the black market. His loyalties unclear to them, Lena and Jake know that Tully has the power to lead them to salvation or great danger.

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Executive Producer: Ben Waisbren, Frederic W. Brost
Screenwriter: Paul Attanasio
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Production Co: Warner Bros., Section Eight Ltd.
Rating: R (Some Sexual Content|Language|Violence)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 15, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $1.3M

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