Boxhagener Platz (5 Stars)

Yes, I know I only gave this film four stars when I reviewed this film in February. That's easy to explain. That was the first time I had ever seen the film. After watching it a second time I can see a lot more depths. It's a very complex film. In the comments I made in my last review I only mentioned the murder mystery. There's a lot more to it. It's a very intricate picture of life in East Germany in the 1960's. We see the interaction between the secret police and the regular police force. We see political indoctrination in the schools. The post war squalor is still abundant, even 20 years later. There are many more details, too many to mention here. The accuracy of the film is amazing.

My only question is about the homosexual relationship between Holger's uncle Bodo and the postman from West Berlin. It seems unnatural that they announced their relationship so openly at the family's Christmas meal. As far as I know homosexuality was never acceptable in the German Democratic Republic (DDR) for as long as it existed, until October 1990. Even today homosexuality is considered a crime in the DDR's big brother, Russia.

Nevertheless, this is an absolutely wonderful film. On the one hand I wish it could be made available in English for viewers outside of Germany. On the other hand I have to wonder whether anyone who isn't German would be able to understand it.