Film review: 'Phoenix'

Director Christian Petzold's new film, "Phoenix," perfectly embodies its title. 

The mythological reference is often used to describe people who have undergone a rebirth after adversity, and Nelly Lenz, the main character in this subtle thriller is no exception. 

After being shot in the face at Auschwitz, Lenz (Nina Hoss) is brought back to Berlin by her friend Lene (Nina Kunzendorf) for surgical reconstruction. Lenz insists upon looking exactly like her former self, but the surgery falls somewhat short of expectation. However, she does resemble pre-war Nelly enough to pique the interest of her long-lost husband, Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld).

Upon their reunion, Lenz refuses to reveal her true self, because her husband has a nefarious plan up his sleeve, in which she wants to participate. Struck by her resemblance to his wife, Johnny wants her to impersonate his supposedly dead spouse so that he can split her estate.

Lenz has an ulterior motive. She needs to ascertain that he, in fact, betrayed her to the Nazis. So Nelly plays Nelly.

It's a difficult bargain, because she still loves her husband immensely. As her face heals, her hopes wane. Her friend Lene gives her a pistol and insists she should kill Johnny in light of proof that he divorced her just prior to her capture. But Lenz remains steadfast in her search for the truth right up until the gasp-inducing final scene.

Nina Hoss' performance is emotionally and visually stunning. Her face continuously changes as the story unfolds. Her mannerisms evolve from timid to gracefully controlled with such precision it's exquisite to behold. And Zehrfeld puts his boyish good looks to such good use that we're almost as charmed as Lenz. The two have acted together before in Petzold's "Barbara," and their chemistry is, once again, startlingly brilliant.  

As "Phoenix" opens, a single bass fiddle is plucking out "Speak Low." It's a familiar old standby, but in the movie's context, it's disconcertingly haunting and mimics the subject matter at hand.

In the end, when Nelly sings the words to the tune at the moment of clarity, it will leave you breathless.