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The Good German

Play trailer Poster for The Good German R 2006 1h 45m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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34% Tomatometer 152 Reviews 33% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
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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The Good German

The Good German

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 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 Geoff Andrew Time Out Why emphasise flaws in a film of such overall ambition and expertise? Mar 8, 2007 Full Review Jeff Beck The Blu Spot The Good German is quite successful in capturing the look & feel of the classic film noirs it's paying homage to, but sadly it ends up being far less successful when it comes to the film's actual substance. Rated: 2.5/5 May 28, 2025 Full Review Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal The film attempts deconstruction of a reconstruction, pessimistically insisting there is no point to that when you can’t understand basic human nature. In that regard, "The Good German" is ambitious but simply a dirge, with no ire or fire to its insights. Rated: 1.5/5 Apr 26, 2025 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 Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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thiago s Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 05/28/25 Full Review Marit Risto F Surprisingly bad acting from these fabulous, and experienced actors/actresses. The script must have impossible... Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 10/30/24 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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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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The Good German

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Movie Info

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
Producer
Ben Cosgrove, Gregory Jacobs
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
Runtime
1h 45m
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