Revanche

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Revanche

Released May 1, 2009

2h 1m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

96%

Tomatometer

82 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

In a desperate attempt to improve life for his prostitute girlfriend, Tamara (Irina Potapenko), ex-con Alex (Johannes Krisch) returns to a life of crime and robs a bank. Escaping the scene, Alex takes refuge at a nearby farm belonging to his grandfather (Hannes Thanheiser) and struggles to blend in with the locals. After befriending new neighbor Susanne (Ursula Strauss), Alex is startled to discover that her husband, Robert (Andreas Lust), is a police officer.

Critics Consensus

With Revanche, Götz Spielmann has crafted a debut as surprising as it is suspenseful.

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Nicolas Rapold

Film Comment Magazine

"It works because Spielmann has established that we're not watching belabored dramatic trajectories collide, but an encounter between two people in miles-away mindsets."

Jul 1, 2013

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Derek Malcolm

London Evening Standard

Gotz Speilmann's film is well-made, aptly characterised and seems frighteningly true to life.

Rated: 3/5

May 6, 2010

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

It has a distinctive sort of Euro-hardcore sheen, mainly due to the superbly lucid, diamond-hard cinematography from Martin Gschlacht.

Rated: 3/5

Apr 30, 2010

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David Harris

Spectrum Culture

Revanche has two meanings in German: revenge or a second chance. Both are apt in this beautiful, haunting and touching film.

Oct 3, 2019

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Mattie Lucas

The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)

A slow-burning thriller, both lovely and haunting; hammering home the point that sometimes man's greatest enemy is himself.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jun 6, 2019

Full Review

Robert Koehler

Cinema Scope

Revanche proposes a way out for some of its characters and some of the emerging impasses in European filmmaking.

Oct 2, 2017

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Vítor Pimentel de Oliveira V

An excellent and sober piece of storytelling, filled with humanity in what is otherwise a revenge story. It's a beautiful picture in every aspect.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/23/25

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Ian E

Close to Perfect. Especially considering it's coming up to twenty years old. Turns the tired Hollywood revenge trope on it's head. A modern morality tale and beautiful, thoughtful, erotic love story to the human condition. Couldn't recommend more highly!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/07/24

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Andrew H H

Genuinely well made. Intelligent twists, and good cinematography, which is always a plus point.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/22/23

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Ravenswood R

Very interesting, well shot and acted, asks a lot of big questions... what is revenge? What does it accomplish? Who in the film gets revenge, and/or does anyone in the film really get revenge, and how? Maybe the point is that revenge is a useless, aggressive and violent concept. The film seems to say that revenge is really never entirely possible? It is left open to interpretation, which makes it even better. Some of the more suspenseful scenes are among the best I've ever seen for their subtlety and clever techniques to fully engage the viewer. Top notch film making.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/20/22

Full Review

dave s

When a smalltime criminal decides to rob a bank in order to improve his squalid life, things go horribly and predictably wrong, leading him to an inevitable confrontation with the person he believes is responsible for his misfortune. Revanche is a surprisingly effective thriller, especially in light of the fact that there aren't a lot of thrills to be found. Its success seems to be entirely attributable to Gotz Spielmann's creative directorial choices. More specifically, Spielmann uses a stationary camera with only sporadic pans or tracking shots to make the viewer feel like a third-party in virtually every scene, creating a sense of dread as you watch things spiral out of control. It's a slow burn from start to finish and will not be for all tastes, but it is compelling viewing for those willing to go along for the ride.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Beautiful thriller/drama that truly seems to be driven by the motivations of its characters, and not the machinations of the writer. The title hangs over the film from the first moment like a sword, and when it finally falls, it's not in the way you'd expect.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/23

Full Review

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Götz Spielmann

Director

Johannes Krisch

Alex

Andreas Lust

Robert

Irina Potapenko

Tamara

Ursula Strauss

Susanne

Johannes Thanheiser

Grandfather Hausner

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Synopsis

In a desperate attempt to improve life for his prostitute girlfriend, Tamara (Irina Potapenko), ex-con Alex (Johannes Krisch) returns to a life of crime and robs a bank. Escaping the scene, Alex takes refuge at a nearby farm belonging to his grandfather (Hannes Thanheiser) and struggles to blend in with the locals. After befriending new neighbor Susanne (Ursula Strauss), Alex is startled to discover that her husband, Robert (Andreas Lust), is a police officer.

Director: Götz Spielmann
Producer: Sandra Bohle, Mathias Forberg, Götz Spielmann, Heinz Stussak
Screenwriter: Götz Spielmann
Production Co: Prisma Film, Spielmannfilm
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): May 1, 2009, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 23, 2017
Runtime: 2h 1m

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