Never Look Away

This is the latest movie from Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, who wrote and directed The Lives of Others, a movie that I regard as a masterpiece.

Never Look Away is a multi-layered epic set against the backdrop of Germany from the late ’30s through the early ’60s.  At its core, it is the story of a young artist on a  journey of self-discovery.  It follows him from his scarred childhood in Nazi Germany, through his coming-of-age in East Germany, to his escape to West Germany, just before the Berlin Wall came up.  It is also a haunting war story and a touching romance.  Along the way, it gives you a lot to think about, from human nature to perceptions of art, and its power to heal. 

It is a superbly scripted, breathtakingly beautiful movie.  Still, its gentle pace and 3 hour plus running time, along with the need for subtitles (it’s in German), may be daunting for some viewers.  Personally, I found myself so immersed in the story, the performances, and the visual beauty and the background score, that I didn’t feel any weight on account of the movie’s length.  In fact, it is by far, my favorite movie of this year. 

I should mention that while the narrative has some key plot points that appear to be contrived, there is a lot more truth to them than one might imagine.  The story has been inspired by the early life and career of the renowned visual artist, Gerhard Richter.  A part of the inspiration came from stranger-than-fiction events in his life.

Here’s a link to the trailer.