Jerichow

2008

1h 29m

Drama

List

90%

39 Reviews

Tomatometer

58%

10,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Trouble brews when a war veteran (Benno Fürmann) has an affair with a married woman (Nina Hoss).

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Critics Consensus

Minimal and intriguing, this Teutonic retreading of The Postman Always Rings Twice is tense and ominous throughout.

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william k

Interesting variation of the The Postman Always Rings Twice story brings the tragedy realistically into a modern-day German setting, is suspenseful with a good cast, and comes up with its own new kind of twist) ending.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

dave s

When Thomas, a penniless war veteran, provides aid to business entrepreneur Ali, a drunken driver who has crashed his car, he is offered a job by way of thanks. Thomas soon finds himself immersed in a steamy affair with Ali's wife, setting off an unexpected chain of events. As a film, Jerichow is a bit of an oddity. Ostensibly, it's a thriller, but it doesn't have much in the way of thrills. It also includes a passionate romance, but isn't particularly sexy. It does, however, have excellent performances from the three leads, a minimalism that is sort of intriguing, and a couple of unforeseen twists at the end that make things interesting.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It is to Christian Petzold's credit that over the course of his career he has so lovingly re-worked some American movies into films that manage to retain themes but modulate them into something altogether unique from the sources of origin. This is clever new take on "The Postman Always Rings Twice." I do not know for sure, but I would suspect Petzold is reworking the 1981 film remake than the original 1940's Film Noir or the infamous novel. The key is that it doesn't really matter. A Hollywood idea has been re-booted to serve as societal commentary regarding modern Germany. Everything from trying to regain footing after serving in a pointless war to attempting to lead a rewarding life without crime to the racism regarding immigrants and immigration -- all support the tawdry plot. Unlike Hollywood of the 1940's or 1980's -- this film is not consumed with eroticism. You may not notice it until after you step away, but this is actually an adult study of loneliness, isolation and the human need for hope. This film is not as stylized as one might expect, but it is surprisingly realistic and entertaining.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/22/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This was a compelling movie that had me guessing until the end. The two German characters were great in the silent unhappiness they conveyed in their characters. When you watch two attractive people drawn together by sexual and emotional needs, it is understandable they would get together. In addition, these two characters are so much alike in every way. For me, the person who made the movie was the Turk-German character, Ali, played by Hilmi Sozer. He was the emotional glue that made this movie work. I was drawn to his portrayal of the character because of the complexities he had to face as an outsider. Ali was born in Turkey but grew up in Germany. He aspired for the things immigrants want living in a Western country but can't get away from his anger of not always being accepted. It was because of Mr. Sozer acting that made me really enjoy the film. Yes, both the male and female Germans were nice to look at and understood where they were coming from in terms of their troubled background. However, it was Mr. Sozer who carried the film. He made the character vulnerable which endeared him to me.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I would certainly rather watch Postman simply because it is more exciting however Jerichow possibly has a greater sense of humanity and it is more applicable to this generation. Especially contemporary Germany.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Vähän niinku keskimääräistä parempi tv-elokuva.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

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Christian Petzold

Director

Benno Fürmann

Thomas

Nina Hoss

Laura

Hilmi Sözer

Ali Özkan

André Hennicke

Leon

Claudia Geisler

Sachbearbeiterin

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Keith Uhlich

Time Out

An expertly constructed thriller that never rises above the trappings of its genre.

Rated: 3/6

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

Jonathan F. Richards

Film.com

Petzoid takes the Cain themes of lust and duplicity and twists them into a reflection on modern Germany, where nationalism and loyalties and identity and economics are jumbled and thrown into confusion.

Sep 10, 2009

Full Review

Steven Rea

Philadelphia Inquirer

A taut, German-made thriller, Jerichow adds a bit of European xenophobia to the pulp traditions of passion and betrayal.

Rated: 3/4

Aug 6, 2009

Full Review

Savina Petkova

A Good Movie To Watch

The subtle, multi-layered performance by Nina Hoss fuels the film with even more contradictions, but only on the level of emotional alignment: the plot is univocally clear when it comes to who wins and who loses in the game of love.

Rated: 85/100

Nov 24, 2023

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Jerichow once more reveals Petzold as a filmmaker who makes subtle turns of plot and layered characterizations, accompanied by predictably nuanced performances, out of otherwise conventional tropes.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 18, 2022

Full Review

Sean Gilman

In Review Online

Petzold doesn't translate familiar stories to the screen so much as he climbs deep inside of them and digs out their hearts.

Jun 11, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

Trouble brews when a war veteran (Benno Fürmann) has an affair with a married woman (Nina Hoss).

Director: Christian Petzold
Screenwriter: Christian Petzold
Genre: Drama
Original Language: German
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 18, 2010
Runtime: 1h 29m

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