Barbara [Blu-ray]

4.5 stars... outstanding German political and relationship drama
"Barbara" (2012 release from Germany; 105 min.) brings the story of a female doctor, Barbara (played by Nina Hoss), in a provincial town in East Germany in 1980. It appears Barbara had applied for an exit visa so as to leave the country, and as a result was demoted from a prestigious hospital in Berlin to now work in the country side. Barbara has a lover, some well to-do guy in West Germany who sends her money so as to prepare things for her to escape East Germany illegally. All the while, Barbara gets to know Andre (played by Ronald Zehrfeld), a colleague doctor who also has been sidetracked (but for different reasons we later learn) in the country side. Right away from the very start Andre has a crush on Barbara, and he is trying to charm her non-stop. As all of this is happening, Barbara takes a special interest in Stella, a teenage girl who has escaped from a nearby youth labor camp and suffers from various ailments. To tell you more about the plot would ruin your viewing...

Heroism in East Germany
Not as powerful as "Lives of Others" - but there is in this film an amazing portrayal of heroism on a one to one, human to human level, and of doing what you can do and holding what is truly of value close when times are toughest.

Barbara.
This is a fine - if very understated - piece of film-making.

Barbara Wolf (Nina Hoss) is a city doctor exiled to a provincial hospital in the German Democratic Republic in 1980; closely watched by the secret police and distrustful of her colleagues, she leads an isolated, paranoid existence while planning her escape to Denmark with the help of her wealthy West-German lover.
The film is slow-moving, but infused with a subtle tension; Hoss gives a mesmeric performance as a dedicated professional who is also a vulnerable, sensitive being, persecuted by an intolerable system. Her supervisor, Andre (Ronald Zehrfeld) whom she gradually comes to trust, is more accepting of his situation and is sympathetic towards her, despite his role in monitoring her for the authorities.
The film is dour but compelling; a restrained but thoughtful and intelligent drama, well made, photographed and acted.
The cover blurb suggests it will be of interest to those who liked "The Lives...

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