dramatic recent films and get, "The Rabbit is Me." Far more interesting, subtle, and ultimately chilling.
A beautiful young woman's brother is arrested and tried in a courtroom emptied except for party loyalists. She is unable to ascertain what the charges are; when he is convicted, she still cannot unearth what he has done to merit a three-year incarceration.
Meanwhile, she finds out that her application for university has been rejected, most probably because of her brother.
During her courthouse investigative visits, she meets the judge responsible for the sentence but is unaware of his connection. Later, a relationship between them begins even though she knows.
Is she truly in love? Is the married judge taking advantage of her? Are they both exploiting the other?
This film, unlike the usual good-bad films which now so easily attack the former government, shows the harm a system can do to ordinary citizens--- and how such a system makes good people all but indistinguishable from the crass or greedy. Even more disturbing, it makes any judgment appear formidable.
Angelica Waller deserved a major award for her portrayal as did the judge.
This is a very fine film and the most mature view of communist society I can remember; it also tells a love story which is the equal of the political one.
A classic.
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Topic - What was life like in communist E. Germany? Forget the overly - tinear 09:07:02 11/14/09 (4)
- Any comparisons to "The Lives of Others"? ~t - mpathus 04:40:13 11/15/09 (2)
- Far superior to it. Far. My earlier comments were with that specific film in mind. - tinear 09:08:08 11/15/09 (1)
- I will seek it out it; thanks! ~t - mpathus 16:21:19 11/15/09 (0)
- RE: Almost the half of the East German wish the communist system back. - patrickU 01:25:54 11/15/09 (0)