Vu sur ARTE, soirée Müller-Stahl.
Announcing what would be the 80s most "memorable" visual style by "borrowing" to films from Godard or Argento, this film full of colours, neons and visible transitions is also showy in its acting (especially for a certain character, wich is fitting) and sets (good-looking but as fake as you could make them).
The story and the characters might be simple, the road quite predictable, and the main motivation (the only one?), money, constantly visible, but it makes the dynamic, denouncing post-war Germany, easier to see. Its bleak progression is appreciable too.
Müller-Stahl's idealistic right man and Sukowa's dancer, torn between his view and other more "down-to-earth" imperatives (to the point it makes the character less palatable at times, shifting between purity and corruption), are great to see.
More might have been made if the hero's realization didn't came as late as it does (passed the half point), but the film still comes out decently.
Score: 7/10
Enjoyment: 4/5
An interesting "actualization" of Der blaue Engel.