As a fan of both Berlin and independent film, I really wanted to like this, and was hopeful after reading the positive reviews already posted. But ultimately, they are misleading about the film's merits.
This film tells the tale of Victoria, a Spanish newcomer in Berlin who (realistically enough) works at an underpaid cafe job and speaks no German. She meets four Berlin guys at a club and her decision to stick with them seems a little naive, at first. Unfortunately, this is the most believable part of the entire film. What follows is a descent into a rather cheesy, Hollywood-style gangster underground that feels totally out of place within the humble, realistic Berlin that the directors have clearly attempted to capture in this single-take film.
The problem with "Victoria" is that the film's makers don't seem to know what kind of film they are trying to make: is it a fly-on-the-wall docudrama showing us everyday events with wildly unforeseen circumstances? Or is it a cinematic thriller with exciting plot twists that would stretch credibility if we saw them anywhere but the silver screen? The makers should have chosen one of the two things and stuck with it, in my opinion. Mixing them together has resulted in a jarring experience. Even though we want to get pulled in to the events that are depicted, we are always aware that they just would not happen in the "gritty real life" Berlin that this film attempts to capture.
Having said that, this crew has clearly got some great dramatic skills. The performances are heartfelt and exciting, despite the lack of substance. So it will be interesting to see what they come up with after "Victoria".
This film tells the tale of Victoria, a Spanish newcomer in Berlin who (realistically enough) works at an underpaid cafe job and speaks no German. She meets four Berlin guys at a club and her decision to stick with them seems a little naive, at first. Unfortunately, this is the most believable part of the entire film. What follows is a descent into a rather cheesy, Hollywood-style gangster underground that feels totally out of place within the humble, realistic Berlin that the directors have clearly attempted to capture in this single-take film.
The problem with "Victoria" is that the film's makers don't seem to know what kind of film they are trying to make: is it a fly-on-the-wall docudrama showing us everyday events with wildly unforeseen circumstances? Or is it a cinematic thriller with exciting plot twists that would stretch credibility if we saw them anywhere but the silver screen? The makers should have chosen one of the two things and stuck with it, in my opinion. Mixing them together has resulted in a jarring experience. Even though we want to get pulled in to the events that are depicted, we are always aware that they just would not happen in the "gritty real life" Berlin that this film attempts to capture.
Having said that, this crew has clearly got some great dramatic skills. The performances are heartfelt and exciting, despite the lack of substance. So it will be interesting to see what they come up with after "Victoria".