Der Amerikanische Freund
1977 / 128m - West Germany
Crime, Thriller
2.0*/5.0*
The American Friend poster

Watches

May 06, 2023

2.0*/5.0*

Wenders' take on Tom Ripley, the infamous art forger. It's not too long since I watched Purple Noon, I preferred Wenders' adaptation by a small margin. It's clear that he put a bit more care into the styling of the film, though the harsh 70s look is not something that really vibes with me.

Zimmerman makes frames for paintings. When he hears he suffers from leukemia, his world collapses. Then he meets Tom Ripley, who introduces him to the world of art forgery. Zimmerman can make a healthy buck, money that will support his family after he's gone, but to get that money he'll have to venture into a world that is not his own.

The performances are decent and the cinematography is above average (for a 70s flick). The plot on the other hand isn't all that interesting. It's another drawn-out noir that wears thin way too soon, and the film isn't stylistically strong enough to make up for that. Wenders has talent though, that much is obvious.