Undine

"A bit flimsy and silly."

"In a way, it’s a shame that Undine stops short, since the material feels thin, and the statement as murky as the lake to which the camera ultimately returns."

"It feels like a fist that won’t close, its elements never intentionally coming together."

"This is classic Petzold territory, where you can dwell in a place, or a relationship, without ever quite belonging there."

"The film questions the fixed nature of human behavior in a world whose borders are constantly shifting."

"Made with the superb economy of pacing, shot selection, and editing that’s become a Petzold specialty, nay a trademark."

"Petzold keeps his mystery afloat (sorry) thanks to his impeccable craft even if this is a tale that sometimes feels like it needed a more magical and less direct approach."

"Beer and Rogowski are so good, and have such amazing chemistry, that it’s hard to look away or not root for them to be together."

"Petzold’s lean, crisply-shot tale is a deft shape-changer, switching mood and register, interlacing romance with suspense and sudden jabs of humour."

"Its disquieting moments of magical realism paired with the all-consuming romance shared between Undine and Christoph — which feels as grand and tragic as the best cinematic love stories — add some warmth to Undine‘s chilly, cosmic exterior."

"Petzold loves his romantic bargains, his meditations on longing, obsession and deceit, and he unfurls all of that seductive cloth of gold in Undine."

"Undine isn’t a conventional romance, or a readily accessible one, but open yourself to this special film and you’re liable to be hooked."

"Undine is ultimately more enigmatic than most of Petzold’s work. It is also, like its title character, eerily beautiful. While it could well serve as a high-end date movie, it’s also something more."