Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by J0hnN (A) on October 22, 2002 at 16:56:42

In Reply to: The Promise(Das Versprechen) 1995 German film posted by J0hnN on October 22, 2002 at 12:13:37:

"The scope of The Promise is ambitious -- an allegorical tale of love and loss spanning three decades in the heart of a country sundered by an unnatural boundary. Because von Trotta has only two hours to work with, she cannot accomplish everything needed to explore the subject. The results of such time constraints are that some subplots, and even certain aspects of the main story, don't get their deserved exposure. The Promise mines a motherlode, but there's no way the full potential can be unearthed in a single film.

Nevertheless, there's more than enough here to satisfy a viewer with a penchant for history, politics, or love. In movies, romance is often treated as a frothy thing, so it's rare to find the emotional highs and lows of The Promise. Constructed with obvious care, this film is filled with the little details that differentiate a very good picture from an average one. With this movie, at least, von Trotta delivers on the promise of her ability as a film maker."

© 1995 James Berardinelli