A Jewish singer, disfigured beyond recognition during the Holocaust, discovers that her husband no longer recognizes her—and begins to suspect that he was the one who betrayed her—in the moody thriller Phoenix, a layered drama that delivers in atmosphere and weird tension, but doesn’t quite live up to the hype.

Nina Hoss delivers a great performance as Nelly, the emotionally and physically damaged woman who decides not to tell her scheming husband Johnny (Ronald Zehrfeld) that she is his wife—but who is then drawn into his plan to have her pretend to be his wife to collect an insurance claim.

It’s fucked up stuff.

Directed by Christian Petzold, the movie looks terrific and winds a complicated tale—more complicated emotionally than literally—that is satisfying at a narrative level. Coupled with Hoss’ performance and the performances of those around her, the movie has the makings of a seriously effective psychological thriller. Many of my critic colleagues have indeed proclaimed that Phoenix is one of the best movies of the year—and perhaps you’ll agree with them—but as I watched, the movie didn’t fully grab me by the throat as it did with others.

The strange thing about Phoenix is that while watching I wasn’t fully hooked, but as I write this review I feel the urge to watch this movie again, to give it my all and see if I have change of heart. I’ve already re-watched the ending twice to capture the nuance, the sheer force, the twitch in Johnny’s eye. The ending is immensely satisfying in many ways, and while perhaps not as shocking or visceral as some claim, it is certainly perfectly executed. Phoenix, on a larger scale, has all the pieces, but it doesn’t grip tightly like that final scene does. I was intrigued but not transfixed, engaged but not fully entertained.

Whether I actually do watch Phoenix again remains to be seen—lofty aspirations can quickly fade into the ether—but the fact that this movie still gnaws at me says something. But in the moment, Phoenix is not the amazing movie-to-end-all-movies some critics are claiming. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth seeing for yourself.

Review by Erik Samdahl.