In the Fade

If you watch it just once, In the Fade is a decent drama, but without a unique style or any deeper messages despite the graveness of its topic. I found the ending to be too simplified, serving only as the easiest way to get out of the situation without leaving the audience with any lingering impressions. [Cannes] (02/06/2017)

So emotionally impressive and tiring that it can get under your skin in a disturbing way “what if this happened to you". It is not a problem to ignore the fact that especially during the trial, it has glaring (extremely obvious) logical lapses (the origin of the new round, other witnesses, cameras, counter-arguments about a fake stay, etc.), just to have the screenwriting anti-system puppeteer coveted a shocking verdict. This is followed by the final act, where it gradually goes idle, fizzles out until it completely fades away. It has an effective final, but it is quite morally (on several levels) problematic due to its message. The whole third chapter seems like “we don't know where to go next, so at least we'll take a trip to the sea for a few filming days, maybe something will happen". From a personal film about loss, it suddenly turns into kind of a genre movie about revenge in an art-sophisticated style. The only strong points of the third act are (throughout the footage) the phenomenal performance of the devastated Diane and the discovery that the cold and damp Greek resorts outside the tourist season have a captivating “neo-noir" atmosphere. (11/02/2019)

A powerful experience that isn’t carried by a precisely researched, but still a bit manipulative screenplay, but above all humble directing and a fantastic performance by Diane Kruger. Thanks to her, the "silent avenger" becomes a being of flesh and bone, with whom we can sympathize until an extremely shocking decision at the end. The subject of right-wing terrorism may act as an irritant in a time of Islamist assassins, but Akin has dealt with a completely relevant subject - and he has dealt with it very well. (27/05/2017)

Diane Kruger is completely out of this world here. Her depressive states got right under my skin in a way, that hasn’t happened to me with a movie for a while. Likewise, the theme is very current, interesting, and in the full context of the modern period very telling. More than the movie, I was focused on the mental state of Diane’s character, which was gradually mentally collapsing like a house of cards and I was at the edge of my seat every minute. However, the movie goes into the consequences and so it also points out how problematic the German judiciary system is. I personally didn’t get what else they were expecting. I didn’t give it 5 stars possibly only because of how bad I felt after watching the movie. Injustice is a bitch. (08/11/2018)

Diane Kruger is indeed an interesting actress and she immersed herself in her role with great enthusiasm, but from my point of view, this is the least attractive film from Fatih Akin's workshop. He presents his audience with a story with clearly defined and polarized sides of the conflict. On one side, there is a repulsive manipulative lawyer representing equally repulsive murderers reduced to typical figures that are in no way "worthy" opponents for the main protagonist. The director's approach to the material is instructive, precisely determining what we should think about the film characters and what attitudes to hold. I prefer creators who provide me as a viewer with more space for reflection on the problem. The screenplay suffers from logical flaws in the trial phase in order for the screenwriter to steer the plot where he wants it to go. And I haven't even mentioned the ethically very problematic ending, which moves the film to a different level. Overall impression: 55%, and that's only while taking into consideration Diane's commitment... (08/07/2021)