Review: In 'Undine,' Christian Petzold weaves a contemporary tale inspired by the myth of a water nymph and her human lover
If you care about movie stars who weave subtle but ineffably powerful spells, you should, or already do, know Ms. Beer’s work. Still in her 20s, she has given memorable performances as a grief-stricken young woman in François Ozon’s 2016 “Frantz”; as an enchanting art student in Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s 2018 “Never Look Away” and as an anguished, elusive beauty in Mr. Petzold’s “Transit,” which was released here in 2019.
Spells cast in movies must always be a collaboration between star and director. The first shot in Mr. Petzold’s new film offers a prime example. He holds the camera close on Ms. Beer’s face as Undine thinks about something with great concern. Or maybe she’s listening to something intently, except that we hear nothing but traffic noise in the distance. No answer to the mystery is forthcoming for almost half a minute that’s mesmerizing and dialogue-free. Then the situation clarifies.
So much for the characters in the story. There’s also the question of what the audience is supposed to know in order to enjoy the drama on its own terms. It’s all well and good for those who are conversant with the myth in all its details, but how does Mr. Petzold’s film look to those who are not? I was somewhere in between.
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