By Faith McQuinn
THE GOOD GERMAN isn’t just a movie set in 1945 Berlin; it’s WW II-era film noir. Everything screams it, from the opening credits to the locked-down shots to the wipe edits. There is no doubt THE GOOD GERMAN looks amazing, but Steven Soderbergh put far too much energy into perfecting his aesthetics and not enough into the story.
Capt. Jacob Geismer (George Clooney), an American military journalist, is assigned to cover the Potsdam Conference, but Jake’s mind is fully fixed on finding his old flame, Lena Brandt (Cate Blanchett). When Jake arrives in Berlin, he is greeted by his eager driver, Cpl. Patrick Tully (Tobey Maguire). Tully appears to be an all-American boy, but soon reveals his true colors as a sleaze-and-a-half who’s making a killing on the black market. Jake doesn’t discover this darker side until he runs into Tully in a bar, where he finds the kid talking to – who else? – Lena. Soon, Jake finds himself deep in a conspiracy involving Lena, Tully and a whole bunch of secrets.
Murder, romance, dashing heroes. … doesn’t that sound like the perfect war drama? Of course it does. However, as it often happens in Hollywood, what works on paper doesn’t always translate well to the screen. The plot may be grounded in the post-war era, but the nuances are very much 21st century. CASABLANCA isn’t riddled with profanity, cringing violence, or rough sex scenes. Bogey is never on the ground getting the crap kicked out of him, and Bergman never vows to kill anyone who stands in her way. It’s understandable to make a movie that would appeal to a modern-day audience, but Soderbergh muddies the waters with his updates.
Story notwithstanding, I still can’t call THE GOOD GERMAN a bad movie. Just as the look of the film mirrors war-era noir,
the actors echo this in every line and every gesture. George Clooney has been called a modern-day Cary Grant, and he’s obviously trying his damndest to live up to those claims. Unfortunately for him, he can’t even hold a candle to Cate Blanchett, who is the pure embodiment of femme fatale. Blanchett’s perfect German accent, statuesque frame and expressive face make her the best thing about this film. The woman is absolutely amazing. (Then again, Blanchett could play Big Bird and get an Oscar nomination.)
On the opposite side of the spectrum sits Tobey Maguire. I must give Maguire an “A” for effort, playing against type to portray a jerk. His boyish good looks and equally boyish voice help sell Patrick Tully as a whiny bully. On the other hand, Maguire’s blatant overacting leaves me wanting him dead or hospitalized as soon as possible. Thankfully, he is the only over-actor in the bunch. Both Leland Orser and Beau Bridges are spectacular and deserve more screen time. Even Tony Curran, as the Scottish bartender Danny, plays his small part with gusto.
I really want to like THE GOOD GERMAN, but I just can’t. I also can’t hate it. Ultimately, my take on this film is indifference. It isn’t great; it isn’t awful. It just is. Steven Soderbergh attempts to honor film noir. Instead, he simply mimics it. Imitation may be the fondest form of flattery, but it just doesn’t make for a mind-grabbing movie.