Berlin Syndrome (2017)★★★★☆

As I was watching this rather long movie, I was thinking about why it hits so hard and feels so terrifying. I think it’s because it’s a film about the possible horrors of being a young woman…directed and written by women. So it’s more chilling and feels more real than either Men or A Thousand Little Cuts.

Yes, I realize the screenplay was written by a man, but as an adaptation of a novel written by a woman, so it doesn’t quite feel the same as the “written and directed by the same guy” problem that the other two have.

And this movie IS scary. It starts out normal enough, and then builds and builds and becomes terrifying and claustrophobic. It’s a bit long, but that means the audience is along for the same ride as Clare is, the slow, dawning realization of the situation she finds herself in.

Teresa Palmer is SO GOOD as Clare. I don’t think I’ve seen Max Riemelt in anything before, but he was also great (and scary) as Andi.

This is a difficult movie to watch, and it’s not action-packed, but…it will definitely make you think twice before traveling alone and staying with a stranger.