"Revanche" *** (out of ****)Stop me if you've heard this one before. A Ukranian prostitute and her Austrian boyfriend decided to rob a bank. A police officer confronts the woman, as she waits in the car, because she is parked in a loading zone. As this is going on the boyfriend is leaving the bank, stunned when he sees the cop, pulls his gun out and drives off.
That ladies and gentleman is the beginning of the complex new psychological thriller/drama from Austrian filmmaker Gotz Spielmann.
I saw Spielmann's previous film, "Antares" (2004) back when it was released in theatres. At the time Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's masterpiece "21 Grams" (2003) had just been released and I couldn't help but compare the films. It wasn't Spielmann's fault, it was just lousy timing for both films to have been released so close together. But "Revanche" (2009) owes something to that film. Both deal with multi-characters who will find their lives intersecting without them knowing it. In "Revanche", which translate as "revenge" in English, the situation becomes more morally complex than "Antares".
"Revanche" is a slow, methodical film, much like its lead character Alex (Johannes Krisch) who robs the bank with his girlfriend, Tamara (Irina Poapenko). Like most characters who rob banks, except Bonnie & Clyde, they do so in search of a better life. Tamara wants out for the prostitution business and away from her pimp, Konecy (Hanno Poschl) and Alex is riddled in debt and works in Konecy's brothel as a bodyguard. He doesn't like seeing Koncey makes the moves on his women.
At first Tamara is against Alex's plan, but, he insist nothing will go wrong, you see, he has a plan. Plus, as he points out, the gun he is using is not loaded. However, despite his plan, the robbery goes wrong when the police officer, Robert (Andreas Lust) confronts Tamara about the parking spot. After she and Alex drive away Robert shoots, aiming for the tires, but instead kills Tamara. This is how the film gets its title. Alex know seeks revenge on Robert.
Alex's new plans is to hide out in the country, where his grandfather lives, Hauser (Hannes Thanheiser) a sick dying man who could use Alex's company since his wife has recently passed away. Besides Alex also keeping Hauser company is a friendly neighbor, Susanne (Ursula Strauss) who unknown to Alex, is married to Robert.
Susanne and Robert seems to live a normal married life. They have been trying to have a baby together, but, for some medical reason Robert is unable to make Susanne pregnant. The one time he did, she had a miscarriage after the third month. With no men around and a desperate need for a baby she comes on to Alex, quite unexpectedly.
Ever since the incident Robert has become an emotional mess. The police are conducting their own investigation of what happened and have pressed charges against Robert for manslaughter. Did he actually aim for the tires? How could Tamara have died if he did?
Right about now you are probably starting to guess where all of the chips are going to fall and the dramatic implications of the situations which may arise. The film beautifully rises the stakes. But it never feels cheap or exploitive. It is a natural progression of events.
The whole while we can tell what Alex is thinking. He is not quite on the same level as Isabelle Hupbert when working with Claude Chabrol with her blank poker face, but, we know Alex is devising a plan. It is also one of the film's flaws. I felt the Alex character becomes a bit too distant, too withdrawn for us to relate to. He doesn't bring us into his world of madness. I would have liked to been part of his internal conflict a bit more.
Alex learns, from Susanne, that Robert goes for a jog every day out in the deserted woods. And immediately we see Alex surveying the land. We know what is on his mind and where this may all lead to.
Now what I said about Alex can also apply to Robert. The film doesn't give us enough moments showing his guilt complex. I would have also liked to see some scenes dealing with the investigation. We don't get any scenes. Are police unable to track down the bank robber? Is Alex free?
Eventually some characters come to know how everyone fits into this giant puzzle. The movie completely shifts gears when Robert and Alex meet. Only one of them know the whole situation. Their meeting completely alters the course of the film. Who was really at fault for Tamara's death? Does any blame rest on Alex's shoulders?
As I left the movie theatre I heard some people talking. A lot of people didn't like the ending. They were confused by it. What exactly did the last image mean? What is going to happen to these people. I suspect life will remain the way it does for Alex. Susanne will have many secrets from Robert. And Robert, like most cops, will forever remain clueless about the truth. In my opinion it is an effective ending because of the implications invoked. These people have become such a big part of each other's lives without realizing it.
Watching "Revanche" made me think of another twisted murder film I saw earlier in the year, the Danish noir film "Just Another Love Story" (2009). That movie remains one of the best of the year. It had a wild energy. It was a highly stylized film. "Revanche" doesn't have that film's wild pace but maybe it could have used a little punch here and there. "Revanche" is more contemplative however. It means to move at a slower pace.
The film was nominated at this year's Oscars for "Best Foreign Language Film" representing Austria. It lost to the Japanese movie "Departures" (2009). I wouldn't go as far as saying this is one of the year's best films but it is one of the year's more thought provoking films. It's not a masterpiece but Spielmann and the actors don't know it, and they play it as one. They nearly had me convinced.
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