Before the Fall

Germany   d/ Daniel Gansel

Another fine effort by the director of The Wave. Here he tells the story of a young boxer who, in 1942 is invited to enroll in an elite military academy. Various events take place which disillusion him and at the end gets expelled.

Solid lead, supporting cast, locations, mise-en-scene all made a strong impression. But I couldn't shake the notion that this history was being witnessed from present attitudes. I never sensed that the filmmakers re-entered the time and gave us the story from the perspective of those who were living it at the time...when the Germans couldn't even conceive of a future when they didn't win, when they didn't bludgeon their way into control.

Still this was a very handsome, engaging production that easily held me...wondering what would be the fate of our young aryan.

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