It's 1919 in the small town of Quedlinburg, Germany. Anna dutifully lays flowers at her financee Frantz Hoffmeister's grave. She's living with his parents who are still devastated from his death at the front. An unknown Frenchman named Adrien is visiting Frantz's grave. He tells them that he's a friend from their time in Paris.The black and white look is poignant and sad. There are interesting sections of colour. I do question if the Hoffmeisters would not question Adrien's story. It's obvious where the story is going. There are good moments throughout. The most powerful is Anna on the train as she first witnesses the war damage. The ending has a good helping of understated sadness but I was looking for something even darker. This film is poetic and works fine.

What an awesome surprise. Saw that it was free streaming on Amazon Prime and took a chance. Watch the trailer, it will just want to make you see the movie even more. You think you know where the story is going, but then you don't.It's about French/German relations after "The Great War." But, so much more. The theme? War is stupid, love is great.... what's new? Remember the name Francois Ozon, as a director. He will become one of the best known ever in the years to come. And, remember Paula Beer, German actress, only 22 yrs. old when she made this. We'll be seeing a lot more of her. If she ever decides to do movies in English, look out Alicia Vikander.

Set in the German town of Quedlinberg in 1919 we meet Anna. Her fiancé –Frantz – has been killed near the end of The Great War and she mourns at an empty grave – his body having never been repatriated. She lives with his parents who are both grieving in different ways. Then one day she sees a man weeping at the graveside and discovers he is French. He soon makes himself known as a pre war friend of their beloved Frantz and breaks down their initial hostility towards him to get to know them better.But all is not what it seems and this becomes a story of not one but two odyssey's as the storie(s) unfold along twist and turns. The film is shot in monochrome and colour. When it is black and white it is where things are bleak as if all the colour has drained from the world and then when love and hope appear so does the radiant colours. A simple enough device but done with subtle intensity an a film that takes its cinematography, rightfully, seriously.The acting is all sublime with Piere Niney ('Yves St. Laurent') as the Frenchman – Adrien Rivoire – being perfectly cast balancing the fragility and immediacy of the role perfectly. Paula Beer as Anna really grows into her role too, which is necessary from the plots development and from the actual character development and is prefect also. All supporting actors are just spot on. The film also shies away from the melodrama that is often associated with extremes of emotion and take the everyday and makes it important.This is one of those films that comes along all too seldom. It is in French and German with good subtitles. Yes it can be called 'Arthouse' but it is also a simple but powerful story told with great care and skill and is a film that will reward you for sticking with it to the end – easily recommended.

366/5000 I can not avoid thinking all the time, that I do not like the actor, I'm not going for that role. The whole movie is thinking that there will be a romance between the two and how that lady is going to roll up with that guy. I think the film is too long, it is exhausting because the tempo is very slow. It has moments that I do not know if they are crazy of the director or that they are.The sexual tension is so evident in the film that he runs all the time, between him and her and sometimes you think between the two men. She's great, but he does not like me at all.I do not know if anyone would react as the character of the actress does, after everything that happens in the film. It seems incredible to me that someone forgives so much in such a short time.The photograph to be in black and white, takes you to that time and the whole setting helps a lot to it. That's achieved, like the costumes and the make-up.The address is as it always does. A very slow tempo. Simple plans, at least they are not bad. But the casting is very bad.It's for the director's lovers, others will get bored.Spoiler: I do not know why the dead man is seen reflected in a mirror winking.