There are currently many attempts to revive the German-speaking genre film, like the Viennese action thriller DIE HÖLLE which came out last month that wasn’t half bad. Lars Henning’s film debut ZWISCHEN DEN JAHREN is even better and is the most successful German thriller in a long while. Unlike many Tatort crime thrillers, ZWISCHEN DEN JAHREN is focused on characters that aren’t used to showcase social conflicts as “themes” but rather seamlessly blend in the plot. The untalkative, grumpy Becker, whose first name is never revealed, just got released from prison and became religious, more or less. On his way to work as a security guard he sees a down-and-out guy who obviously recognizes him and rushes to the departing subway looking appalled. Becker, who blames all of his bad luck on foreigners, forges a friendship with a new Armenian colleague and a relationship with Rita, “the pretty one from the cleaning crew.” The man from the subway starts following him as Becker’s proletarian nuclear family is slowly starting to take shape. Becker’s criminal past catches up with him and threatens his little speck of happiness. ZWISCHEN DEN JAHREN is a Cologne western, an old story of a former gun-wielding hero in the job world who settles down right at the bottom. The ensemble, especially Peter Kurth as Becker, are relaxed and understated and the directing allows the camera to find the beauty in the most inhospitable urban spaces. No character is completely whole and the film has sympathy for them all. ZWISCHEN DEN JAHREN is thrilling, elegant, physical, and poised. Lars Henning is one of the best German genre directors out there.

Hannes Stein

Translation: Elinor Lewy