Undine
Undine

Movie spotlight

Undine

2020
Movie
89 min
German

Undine is a historian and tour guide at the Berlin City Museum specializing in urban development, while Christoph is an industrial diver. Linked by a love of the water, the two form an intense bond, which can only do so much to help Undine overcome the considerable baggage of her former affair.

Insights

IMDb6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes84%
Metacritic74/100
Google Users71%
Director: Christian PetzoldGenres: Fantasy, Romance, Drama

Plot Summary

Undine is a mythologically inspired tale set in modern-day Berlin. Undine, a historian who gives tours of the city's submerged buildings, feels betrayed when her lover announces he is leaving her. According to the ancient myth, if the man who forsakes her belongs to another, she must kill him. However, as she delves into her fate, she unexpectedly falls in love with Christoph, an industrial diver working on the same reservoir, sparking a new and complex romance.

Critical Reception

Undine received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its atmospheric storytelling, strong performances, and unique blend of myth and reality. The film's deliberate pacing and ambiguous narrative were noted, with some finding it enchanting and others occasionally challenging.

What Reviewers Say

  • A haunting and evocative modern fairy tale.

  • Paula Beer delivers a captivating performance as the enigmatic Undine.

  • The film successfully merges ancient myth with contemporary romance and urban decay.

Google audience: Google users generally appreciated the film's artistic and atmospheric qualities, with many highlighting the compelling performances and the unique narrative. Some viewers found the pacing a bit slow, but the overall sentiment leans towards appreciation for its unconventional storytelling.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for the Golden Bear at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival. Paula Beer won Best Actress at the Bavarian Film Awards.

Fun Fact

The film's narrative draws heavily from the 19th-century German novella 'Undine' by Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué, adapting its mythological themes to a contemporary urban setting.

AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources

Community Critic Reviews

No critic reviews have been posted yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.

My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

Paula Beer is "Undine", holding down a rather mundane job lecturing on the historical urban development of Berlin. She is also suffering the final throes of her relationship with "Johannes" (Jacob Matschenz) whom she still loves. As with th...

Video Reviews

No video reviews found for this title yet.