The Good German: A Gorgeous Film Noir Homage with a Bland Mystery (Blu-ray)

The Film:

Back in 2006, Oscar-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh delivered a small noir mystery-thriller called "The Good German" that hardly seemed to get any notice at the time, which was surprising given the status of its director and the fact that it starred Oscar winners George Clooney and Cate Blanchett, on top of its screenplay coming from two-time Oscar nominee Paul Attanasio (adapting the novel by Joseph Kanon). However, mostly negative reviews, a very limited theatrical run (it only played in 66 theaters at its height), and a global take of just $6 million resulted in it becoming a somewhat obscure entry in Soderbergh's filmography, one that is only now finally getting an official Blu-ray release. This makes it the perfect time to go back and revisit it to see if it was truly deserving of its place in cinematic history, or if it was simply a case of a stylish art house film getting swept under the rug.

Taking place in 1945 Germany, we follow Jacob Geismer (George Clooney), a correspondent for The New Republic, who's in Berlin to cover the Potsdam Conference. He soon discovers that his driver, Patrick Tully (Tobey Maguire) is involved with a woman, Lena Brandt (Cate Blanchett), that he used to be in a relationship with. Shortly after, Tully is murdered, plunging Geismer into a mystery that involves the search by both Americans and Russians for a rocket scientist that also happens to be Lena's husband, a man that was thought to be dead. With both sides gunning for the scientist, and others following their own motives, will Geismer be able to put the pieces together in time to save his old flame?

With "The Good German," the main goal for Soderbergh & his team appeared to be to create an homage to classic film noirs of the '30s & '40s, and as far as the craft behind the film goes, they succeeded admirably. Shooting in color, it was converted to black & white in post, which, when combined with the gorgeous full-frame cinematography and the period details of the beautiful costumes & sets, gives it a very authentic feel that makes for an enticing visual feast.

However, it's rather unfortunate to have to say that the film's stunning look is easily its best element, as its actual substance is an entirely different matter. Sadly, the mystery itself that it presents is rather bland, sluggish, overly-convoluted, and filled with so many twists & turns that it becomes somewhat difficult to care how it resolves in the end. For this, you can't really blame screenwriter Paul Attanasio, as he was merely adapting the novel by Joseph Kanon, but even so, it should have been pretty clear that the material wasn't particularly compelling and wouldn't really make for an engaging film.

As for the performances from its pair of Oscar-winning leads, George Clooney and Cate Blanchett, they're fine, though rather subdued, but that's exactly what a film of this nature calls for. Indeed, as mentioned earlier, that appears to have been the main point of this entire endeavor, to capture the look & feel of the classic noirs, and while it does that quite well on the surface, it ends up not being nearly as successful when it comes to what's below it (i.e. its plodding, twist-filled mystery). In the end, it's not hard to see why this has become a mostly-forgotten entry in Soderbergh's filmography. It's certainly beautifully made, but aside from that, there simply isn't much here to see.

Video/Audio:

"The Good German" comes to Blu-ray in a 1.33:1, 1080p High Definition transfer of excellent quality. The picture is beautifully sharp throughout the film's entire 108-minute duration, perfectly displaying its gorgeous black & white cinematography. Likewise, the 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio is marvelous, giving you all of the dialogue, sound effects, and Thomas Newman's Oscar-nominated score in outstanding quality. Overall, Warner Bros. has done a fantastic job in both areas for the film's Blu-ray debut.

Special Features:

None.

Conclusion:

Steven Soderbergh's "The Good German" is quite successful in capturing the look & feel of the classic film noirs it's paying homage to through its stunning full-frame cinematography and its beautiful period costumes & sets, but sadly it ends up being far less successful when it comes to the film's actual substance, which presents a rather bland, sluggish, and overly-convoluted mystery that never truly becomes engaging, ultimately making for a gorgeous, but quickly forgettable entry in the director's filmography.

Score: 2.5/5

Now available on Blu-ray.

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