Rating: R
Length: 108 minutes

Standard 1.33:1 B&W

ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 5.1
FRENCH: Dolby Digital 5.1
SPANISH: Dolby Digital 5.1
ENGLISH: Dolby Digital 2.0

English, French, Spanish

An American journalist (Clooney) goes back to post-war Berlin during the Potsdam Conference where the allies decided what to do with Germany. He used to work in Berlin prior to the war and had an affair with his secretary (Blanchett). After his arrival back into Berlin he bumps into her, her current boyfriend and driver (Maguire) and everyone gets involved with a murder.

This film has a very strong cast and story that will keep you guessing; lots of twists and turns. Is anyone in this movie telling the truth and is trustworthy? Seeing Clooney get his butt kicked for once is nice and I'll watch anything that Kate Blanchett stars in. For those neigh-sayers that claim Tobey Maguire doesn't do well playing a creepy role I disagree. I would say his performance would rate up there with Elijah Wood's role in Sin City; yes, it's out of character for what they've done in the past but I believe it makes their roles even that more effective. People doing things that we consider unbelievable is, after you think about it, more effective.

It's really weird watching modern actors in a black & white. And what's up with a movie only disc? I know, there will likely be a Special Edition/Director's Cut available by Christmas.

• Absolutely NOTHING!

This is filmed like the old film noir movies of the 40s/50s; it reminded me a lot of Double Indemnity; (strong female lead using all her skills to get what she wants). If you like these types of films, you will like this one. Once you get used to the lack of color, this movie is easy to get hooked into.

Steven Soderbergh   [Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve, Solaris, Traffic]

Cate Blanchett - Lena Brandt

[The Aviator, Bandits, Charlotte Gray, Elizabeth, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Heaven, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring/The Two Towers/Return of the King, The Missing, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Veronica Guerin]

J. Paul Boehmer - British Press Aide

Beau Bridges - Colonel Muller

George Clooney - Capt. Jacob 'Jake' Geismer

[From Dusk Till Dawn, Intolerable Cruelty, O Brother Where Art Thou, Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve, The Perfect Storm, Solaris, Three Kings]

Dominic Comperatore - Levi

Tony Curran - Danny

[The 13th Warrior, Blade II, Flight of the Phoenix (2004), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Underworld: Evolution]

Ravil Isyanov - General Sikorsky

[K-19: The Widowmaker]

Tobey Maguire - Patrick Tully

[Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2]

Christian Oliver - Emil Brandt

Dave Power - Lieutenant Schaeffer

[U-571]

John Roeder - General

Jack Thompson - Congressman Breimer

[Broken Arrow, Original Sin, Star Wars: Episode II]

IMDB
DVD Verdict