Victoria (II) (2015) User Reviews

Incredibly intense, very intimate thriller

[IndustriousAngel · 9/10 · 2 February 2016]

One of the best 2015 releases (the best of those I've seen at least), Victoria is a complete surprise - a little-known team hits it out of the park ... by a few miles. Much has been said about the one-take "gimmick" - trust me, whoever calls this a gimmick can not have seen Victoria. The way the camera moves, breathes and lives with the protagonists (ultra-realistic play here and perfect casting) is simply outstanding. It's a small, actually a stupid crime story; the protagonists are all drunk and/or high (and not too bright in the beginning, except the titular Victoria) - a bit like a Coen story, but where the Coens prefer an ironic, satirical approach - always keeping that little distance between watcher and screen - Victoria draws us right in from minute one and only lets go in the last 15 seconds. You can't lean back and smile about the crazy, idiotic antics of those wannabe small-time gangsters, no, you're right in there with them and have to suffer through every bad decision with them. And on the other hand, it's also a tender getting-in-love story (of a kind) - and the same applies: As much as you'd like to shout at Victoria: "Step back, girl! This guy and his friends are BAD NEWS!! Don't get involved!!!" - you can't do that, because, you know, the neighbors might hear ... you have to live and suffer through those more than 2 hours with them.

This is what movie-making is all about.

A great film worth leaving a review for.

[meekaustin · 9/10 · 3 January 2016]

I've seen Enter the Void, Funny Games, Descent... And just other awesomely unique films that left me pondering for more and wanting to read into every possible angle I could think of. I then usually want to write my own review but I'm usually too lazy to even make an account to write one up. Well this film inspired me enough to do so. That almost says enough right there but I'll give my reasoning for why I can't get this film out of my head. I should probably first say that as an American without having any subtitles- it made this movie ever more confusing and intense. I truly felt like I was Victoria. I wouldn't have made any of the decisions she chose to make but come on people- It's a movie- get over it! Especially with something like this. It's not even about the actions taking place as it is the emotions that the characters portray and instantly it relates to you b/c you've been "hanging out" with them for the whole movie. This movie is just awesome how you just become Victoria essentially and you're on this mysterious 2 hr journey that doesn't stop. There's no cuts to explosions and pointless deaths. It's not quite the smoothest ride but that builds the intensity until there's finally a simple plot satisfaction that would leave most Americans less satisfied b/c we overall don't know what's good for us. Needless to say though, I've never felt more on edge and like I had an actual real life experience from a movie. Other than of course the masterful camera work and direction, there's nothing absolutely spectacular to tell you to look out for-- It's just a solid movie experience that provides a full spectrum of good acting, mystery, action, emotionally driven scenes backed by a great soundtrack. If you want to watch a movie and you're insanely tired of the same ole crap- this just isn't a unique idea for a movie-- it is a movie idea that was executed perfectly and left me wanting more and believing in what I saw. Watch It! Watch It now!

Five-Word Review: Mind-boggling Technical Achievement; Average Film

[BillSims28 · 7/10 · 13 October 2016]

Victoria, I am sad to say, is largely overrated despite the truly mesmerising cinematography. Since the incredible one-take film became widely known, most of the critical consensus agrees that is a fantastic film. I found it only decent. Whilst there are moments of genuine breathless tension, the crime elements are superb, and the ending is good, it seems too often like it is trying to be - and I am loath to use this word - 'artsy'. The script was apparently only 12 pages long (that's about 11 minutes of film per script page) which means almost all of the dialogue is improvised. Which is neat, but does not make for compelling viewing, as the characters apart from the titular protagonist (another positive would be Laia Costa's stupendous performance) just don't have enough depth to be interesting. Were it not for the unique cinematographic excellence this would be nothing more than an average thriller with some decent moments that tried too hard to rise above its station.

But talking of the cinematography...take a bow Sturla Brandth Grøvlen, you magnificent genius. This bests all the works of Emmanuel Lubezki and Roger Deakins, and is simply the best feat of cinematography I've ever seen. Flawlessly transitioning from building to street to car to club to the intensity of a foot race and shoot out, all with the precision and careful craftsmanship of any great film. In fact, after only 15 minutes you're barely noticing it any more. After a while, you may realise that you've literally followed these characters all the way from that club and the mind boggles. It's arguably worth watching just to witness this spectacular achievement - you'll most likely find an entrancing and ambitious effort that has a film tacked on to it with ideas a little above its station and a tendency to be too showy at times. 62/100

Pure cinematic excellence

[kamille-roboter · 10/10 · 10 August 2015]

When I saw the trailer of Victoria I was really interested in the movie, because I am a fan of Sebastian Schipper, who directed also "Absolute Giganten", one of the best German movies in recent years. German cinema had to struggle in the last years, too many movies about the German past or really bad and soulless comedies flooded the market. Only really few risks were taken and some of them were pretty good E.g. "Zeit der Kannibalen", but for the most part they sucked.

So...there comes Victoria, a movie by a experienced director, with (for the most part) unknown faces in the cast, a really small crew and shot in a single take in a night in Berlin. Latter is something truly unconventional for a German film, so I went into the theater expecting a good unconventional German movie.

What I got was a masterpiece. Victoria is not only the best German movie in years, but (IMHO) the best movie of the year yet. The tracking shot in the movie isn't only there for effect and a showcase of the cinematographers talent, but a essential part of the films main story, that unfolds around a Spanish girl named Victoria, that meets a bunch of "real Berlin guys", so they call themselves, in the middle of the night. You experience the story of Victoria in real time, you see live character development for instance.

That, the down to earth acting and plot make the movie so incredibly immersive that it becomes something completely new and fresh, which is incredibly rare in recent years. I don't want to give away more about the plot, so I'll talk about the acting. The acting in this movie is fantastic, the dialogue is actually completely improvised, so that the actors, especially the fantastic Laia Costa and Frederick Lau, become these characters in those 140 minutes and it feels real. It feels like they are actual existing persons.

The cinematography is brilliant, Sturla Brandth Grøvlen does a fantastic job in accompanying the main characters and even if there are some shaky parts, which was expected, its never annoying and the viewer becomes the camera. Another aspect of this movie that I adored was the soundtrack. It was perfectly suited in supporting the atmosphere and hypnotic.

I left the theater speechless, what happens in the final act will either throw you off, or you will be completely exhilarated. Either way: Watch this movie and support movies with original concepts, only like this we will continue to get better movies than the usual dog**** from Hollywood and co.

Victoria is a truly exhilarating masterpiece and the first time I felt like watching a new kind of cinema in a long time. Go and watch it. Its worth it.

This movie is a masterpiece

[felix-krel · 10/10 · 24 June 2015]

I never really write reviews or tell anyone about the stuff I watch, but for Victoria, I just had to make an exception

I was never so drawn into a movie before, it was amazing. The characters act so natural you really feel like you are experiencing this night with them for real. No 3D or any fancy stuff that movies do today can draw you into a film this much.

Sometimes during the movie - because all the location changes are perfect - I wondered how much time since the beginning of the movie has passed in "their world" - and then it came to me! You are with them all along, there is no timeskip, no narrating, nothing that could put your focus away from whats important:

The five characters and that fateful night.

I tell everyone I meet that they should go watch this movie: once this has been to a few more filmfestivals and stuff, there is no doubt that it will become a massive hit. I think this movie even surpasses "the life of the others" and I definitely would recommend it as one of the best German movies I know.

Best Movie Of 2015 (so far)

[megasmartdani · 10/10 · 3 September 2015]

This is the first time ever I am writing a review on the IMDb, I just feel the need to do so because it seems like the movie does not get the attention it deserves, especially on a international level, but in Germany as well. But holy ... moly (boo you IMDb and your censorship) would it deserve that attention. The concept of using a one shot technique really works with this film. Pretty soon you become sure, that you are a part of the group and witness the events first hand, thus it is one of the most intensive movie going experiences you can have, I am saying this, as somebody who has seen "Gone Girl", "Rush", "Birdman" all these great intense blockbusters, but this movie really takes it to the next level. There have been quite a lot reports of movie goers who had to leave the cinema and I thought this had been due to the shaky cam, but the cam is actually led quite sturdy. The movie just drags you into the action, that some of it is hard to witness (even though there is no over the top violence or nudity scenes) It has been called the best German movie since "Run Lola Run" and as a matter of fact it is, even better, it does not even need any Nazi or DDR references, all it needs is a solid script with (especially in the getting-to-know-each-other-scenes between Sonne and Victoria) funny dialogue, a really great cast (most notably Frederick Lau and Laia Costa), a great subtle soundtrack and a very capable director who could pull this cinematic masterpiece of. It is very unfortunate, that there was no possibility of nominating it for the Oscars because 80- 90% of the conversations are held in English (English with a strong Berlin or Spanish accent, but still English). Yet the movie has all the potential to become a classic.

10/10, both thumbs up

This is a masterpiece

[Vahnstad · 9/10 · 15 July 2015]

As a Belgian, i watched today this movie. I have to say, i had huge expectations about this movie. Thanks to the trailer that i liked, and because i like similar experimental movies. After that i watched the movie, i have to say, i am completely overwhelmed by the movie.

This is a strong movie with also a lot of emotion. The movie has some good experimental film techniques, and the choice of making the movie in one take is a very good choice. There is no moment where the movie became boring, and there is also no Hollywood like action. It is just well balanced. The story is also very good and emotional, thanks to the exceptional acting performances. The dialogs are also very realistic, and made me think about times when i go out. It is just so realistic.

This movie is also the kind of movie that keeps in your mind for days, even weeks. So watch this movie, and do a pleasure for yourself. You won't regret it.

Because this movie is a real masterpiece.

An extraordinary trip!

[maxwohlers · 6/10 · 30 June 2015]

As a Berlin native (and around the same age as the protagonists) I really sunk into this movie. The endless club nights, the locations, the expats, the shitty drunk English conversations, even the childish nagging between Sonne, Boxer, Blinker and Fuss hit home. For me it was wonderful to see how "accurate" these characters were displayed, since I now at least one real person that fits each character.

Now, I'm not just giving this movie a pass for that alone. Amazingly, most of the dialogue was improvised, which is an achievement for itself, but also adds to the realism of the characters. And listen guys, the whole movie is ONE SINGLE SHOT! That's right. You will witness a +2 hour movie with countless changing locations and improvised dialogue. And I haven't even talked about the score. Nils Frahm knows what he is doing when changing techno with slow pace ambient.

While I agree that in between the pace of the movie is slow, it never took me out of the movie. The story, while being nothing special, lives through the characters and cinematic style.

If you have the chance to witness this movie in the theaters, I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Victoria is not a party trick!

[sherringfordho · 10/10 · 14 July 2015]

The film is shot in one single long take - 2 hours and 20 Minutes long, but this isn't just a party trick. It's a whole different way to experience a story. I'm not saying every film should be done this way, but for that story it's just THE perfect tool. However they took a great risk in making this film the way they did. Victoria would be a really boring movie if just one department failed to do an extraordinary job - the Norwegian DP, the actors, the sound department - every little detail makes or breaks this film. But... they all executed this piece of art brilliantly and so I can't recommend it enough to everyone who likes to watch some film history.

Spend as much effort on the script as you do on cinematography

[PaxtonMalloy · 6/10 · 14 February 2021]

Without a doubt this movie is technical masterful. And I don't even agree that the one shot is a gimmick because as it should it serves a purpose here. Our two leads have amazing chemistry and no wonder Laia Costa continues to do big things.

That being said these are basically two movies. For one hour it is a great movie about young people meeting in Berlin at night. It has a certain romantic to it. Quit after that!

But then two things happen. It turns into a very different movie and secondly our main character Victoria looses every credibility. The choices she makes in this movie no real person would ever make. The script supposedly only had 14 pages. This is to me is when a director get's lost in his technical tools forgetting that the foundation of every movie is a good story. Victoria has none.

Absolute Must See For Film Fans

[kelly-venner · 9/10 · 25 April 2016]

I don't want to summarise the plot too much, if at all, because I think this is the sort of movie you should go into a bit clueless - BUT, what can you expect is an amazing, edge-of-your seat thriller, beautiful cinematography, and great acting.

Here in the UK we miss out on ever hearing about most European movies like this one, smaller budget with unknown actors. But this one is getting a little attention for it's 'one-take' concept, in that the entire movie really was shot in one take. It's one hell of a feat, considering the intense action scenes included, but they pull it off wonderfully. It gives the feeling of being along for the ride, and personally kept my attention gripped for the entire movie.

The titular character Victoria is a complicated girl, and you are given but tidbits of information as the story goes on, never quite a complete picture but a sense of her emotions, and her reasoning for the pertinent decisions she makes throughout the story. The other actors are also all excellent, much of the dialogue was improvised and it felt very natural to me, capturing the difficulties between speakers of different languages perfectly.

The main criticism I have seen on this site is that the audience didn't understand why Victoria made certain decisions in the film (again don't want to give anything away) - but I don't understand how that's a problem. Enough was revealed on the journey that with some empathy (assuming IMDb reviewers do have some) I could easily imagine Victoria's mindset, even if I wouldn't have done the same as her - the movie is not about me! Sorry that's my rant over.

I rated it a 9 because visually it was beautiful in a very simple way, it was not at all predictable, and it had me questioning my own decisions afterwards - which is what I look for in a movie.

OK so here's what's wrong with this movie:

[o_s_k_r · 6/10 · 15 August 2016]

(warning spoilers)! The biggest problem is with the behaviour of the characters immediately after the robbery. An entire hour of the movie was spent introducing these guys to us and we know they are reasonably street savvy. They know to act calm when the cop car drives past. They know to be quiet when they're sneaking onto the roof. HOW THE F@#K ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE that these people are going to linger in the vicinity of a robbery giving away wads of cash? I had managed to sympathize with the characters up until this point, including the girl. But the moment they ran into the club waving money around I threw up my hands in disgust.

OK sure, I hear you say that these guys were drunk and high on cocaine. But before and even immediately after the robbery they were scared and concerned with their safety. Why did they suddenly flip out and run back to the party?

Some thoughts on the "one shot take" approach: There are one or two moments where this fails very badly. When the characters drive somewhere they always seem to stop and start and stall. Apparently the real world set of the film is only within a block or two and the director wants us to believe these locations are further apart than they actually are. I think it would have been smarter to use some special effects(?) to show them driving further away. NOBODY would drive half a block from the scene of a robbery and believe they were safe.

What also appears to be an error is the scene in the lift going up to the roof. They spend a lot longer going up than coming down and incongruously some music wipes out the entire conversation, which is between some of the lesser characters. I immediately interpreted this scene as a failure of the "one shot take" system. Possibly they didn't mike the dialog, or something went wrong out of frame. It seems likely the inappropriate music is a cover up for some mistake or other.

My only other criticism is that the character establishment period is considerably too long. The guys chatting in the street etc was really close to boring at times. The action needed to start a bit sooner.

Sorry I focused on the fails. A lot of other people already focused on the successes. It's actually a really interesting film.

Oh one more thing. The name sucks bad. "Victoria" is a very English name and it has a lot of connotations. The main character should have the name of a Spanish explorer or something like that. I'm struggling to imagine a worse name than "Victoria" for this.

NOT a masterpiece - far too long and boring

[djfuzy · 4/10 · 17 January 2021]

Could've been a great movie if it was 1 hour shorter... Many scenes don't add anything to the plot and could've been either left out or at least shortened. For instance: The movie runs already 50 min. until the plot adds pace, and you understand what's the deal. Don't get me wrong: I don't have a problem with realistic character development and some evolvement of the storyline, but 10 min. of non-sense bad piano play of the two main characters don't add anything here and just creates the desire that the flick finishes...

Devotes As Much Attention To Its Story As It Invests In Its Technically Challenging Production

[CinemaClown · 21 December 2015]

Shot in real time, filmed in one continuous take & made all the more believable by excellent performances from its cast, Victoria has that foreboding ambiance that keeps giving off the vibe that something unfortunate is about to happen all the time and even though its single- take gimmick is attention grabbing, it's the story & characters that hold this film together.

Victoria covers a couple of hours in the life of its titular character, a young Spanish woman in Berlin who, while leaving a club one early morning, meets four local guys who invite her to hang out with them for a while, to which she agrees. Although her adventurous night out with them ends on an amicable note, a last-minute favour asked by the guys alters her life forever.

Co-written & directed by Sebastian Schipper, the story of Victoria could've been easily told without the filmmakers trying to be ambitious with the camera but that added inventiveness brings an admiration of its own. The first half establishes the background of the characters as they stroll through Berlin streets & roofs but the next half is one nail-bitingly tense thriller that ups the ante considerably.

Its single take lasting 138 minutes might be the combined result of clever editing, seamless switching & careful masking but what impressed me most is the fact that despite it being an impressive technical feat, it never for once overshadows the unfolding drama which remains the centerpiece throughout its runtime. The actors are highly convincing in their given roles, which only gets better as the plot progresses, and it only helps in further uplifting the story.

On an overall scale, Victoria ends on a far better note than where it appeared to be heading during the first act, keeps its main focus on the titular character from beginning to end, and manages to be an emotionally rewarding experience with or without the one-shot gimmick. Devoting as much attention to its story as it invests in pulling off its technically challenging production, this German thriller deserves to be ranked amongst the finest films of this year. Thoroughly recommended.

long night's journey into day

[dromasca · 10/10 · 3 August 2018]

Sometimes, in the middle of the desert, one encounters a green, luxurious, exuberant oasis, full of life and beauty. This is exactly my feeling after having viewed 'Victoria' in this summer cinematographic season which seems drier and duller and dummer than any other that I remember. After so many brainless action movies, and huge stars playing flat roles in boring comedies, here comes a film which is a wonderful combination of action and human feelings, of wonderful acting and cinematographic excellencies. Some of the reviews that I have read use the word 'masterpiece'. This is far from being an exaggeration.

'Victoria', co-written and director by Sebastian Schipper who is better known as an actor, takes places in real-time, late at night and early in the morning, in Berlin, the German capital, in 2015. The feeling of reality is brightly transmitted to viewers by making the film with one shot, more than two hours of cinema filmed with hand-held camera, all the time close to the heroes of the film. Their lives change forever during these 140 minutes. It visibly took a huge effort to prepare the whole filming which takes us in different places, streets, shops, night clubs, building and roofs in Berlin. The result is spectacular.

It's a movie about loneliness, friendship and love, about youth, searching a meaning in life and failing. The heroes are a young Spanish girl, ex-musician, living in the cosmopolitan capital of Germany without speaking German who meets a group of fringe youth from East Berlin. As the action develops the characters will know each other, will fall in love, will get into trouble, and their destinies will change. Acting is also superb, with the Spanish actress Laia Costa in the lead role, and the German actors Frederick Lau and Franz Rogowski. Far from being just a gimmick, the technical achievement of this film is fully justified and fits well the story and the action. Berlin at the hours of deep night and uncertain dawn looks more interesting than I have ever seen it since 'Der Himmel über Berlin'. This is German cinema at its best.

Stellar!

[DigitalDude1 · 10/10 · 14 January 2018]

Wow took me almost three years to stumble onto this morsel. I googled 'best movies in Netflix you haben't seen'. It has been a very long time since I saw a truly remarkable movie. This is a must see and officially one of the greatest movie experiences in my time.

Those reviewers who think Victoria's choice to go hang with these four strange dudes was unbelievable completely missed the essence of who she is. I mean I thought the same thing at first so I get that.

But here it is...

Victoria starts the film alone at a club w/ no friends. She hits on the bartender. No luck there so she takes her shot and leaves. She claims she has no friends. She is clearly lonely. You see it pour out if her when she plays the piano and breaks down conveying her dedication to her craft wasn't without sacrifice: a sensen of community.

And so she begins the film alone, finds a taste of community she never really had with these four dudes... and ends up alone.

Aside from this being a monumental technical avhievement, it is quite simply the reason I fell in love with movies in the first place. It's very difficult to 'wow' me these days so congrats to these fine film makers.

Enjoy!

Not an intellectual experimental movie!

[JeromeArlettaz · 9/10 · 25 November 2015]

Now we all know how long it really takes to shoot a movie!… Just kidding! I can't imagine the amount of work to prepare it and the numerous times they've had to restart from scratch.

I didn't hear about the movie before watching it and had no idea what to expect. To be honest, I'm not really interested in how they did it or what a great feat it is to perform in a single shot. I'm an emotional movie consumer, only interested in the outcome. In painting, literature, music or any art, there's only one good technique: the one you forget.

What an emotional journey! I've never felt so much tension watching a movie! Aligning ten disaster movies in a row wouldn't affect my heart beat as this movie did. And sorry for the one shot concept, but I had to create my own breaks a couple of times to avoid a stroke. This movie does not let you breath one second. Unlike most movies, there's no fictional filter keeping you distant: an exaggerated make-up, unrealistically clean surfaces in film sets, fake rains, ugly digital insets, cameras precisely zooming and panning from impossible points of view, declaimed lines following one another like a metronome, robotic characters who don't stammer and don't drop their cigarette. This fiction is an extremely immersive reality fed by its flows. Life is made of flows: how many times a day can't you remember a word? do you drop something? are you blinded by the opposite car's headlights? The immersion is so intense, that the scenario does not require extraordinary adventures to keep you breathless. I don't care what technique contributes at most to the viewer's empathy: Is it the one-shot? the brilliant improvisation? the highly realistic characters? Or maybe some other secret ingredient no one noticed, like an alchemist's pigment in a painting.

It simply is: dreadfully true, endearing and disturbing.

I can only agree with other reviewers: a new page is written in the history of cinema.

This is a Berlin night you won't forget

[dakjets · 10/10 · 4 September 2015]

First of all : this is a movie you will remember for a long time.

What a great film this is, and so totally different from any other films I have seen. An experience out of the ordinary, and that is a complement.

The story starts with what may look like a naive girl who comes in contact with some rootless youths, after clubbing the night away. You worry for her, and how she will get along with her new friends. You have the notion that something will happened, but it all starts so sweet and innocent.

The story evolves, and you understand that this Berlin night is not what it seems, and make you change or challenge you're opinion of the characters on the way. The strong casting and performances makes this a excellent social drama, and it has a nerve that will capture you. The one-take filming makes it very authentic and real. It's almost as you are there with them. Brilliantly made.

This story contains joy, unity and dismay. It will keep you glued to the screen for the two hours it lasts.

Now go and see it!!

A good film, just way, way too slow--especially the first hour

[davejones · 6/10 · 16 April 2016]

This film could have been an eight or a nine. It's well acted, shot and directed. Loved that opening shot. I found that the story events stretched credulity just the right amount for a thriller. And I loved the gimmick of having high school level English the common language of the main characters, who would otherwise be unable to communicate with each other.

The drawback of this hyper-realistic, one-shot filming technique is that everything has to happen in real time--including the getting-to-know-you first hour, which is essential to make the improbable things that Victoria does in the second hour believable. So I understand the dilemma.

The problem is that this first hour of chit-chat and bonding is excruciatingly slow. Watching it was like being the only sober person at a drunken frat party. Clearly, a lot of people (and certainly the critics) didn't mind.

Me, I watched it and at about the 30-minute mark I found myself thinking, "And *that's* why we have cuts in movies. So that it doesn't take two-and-a-half hours to tell a 50-minute story."

Unique and authentic

[xxxxxdarkmoon · 8/10 · 1 April 2021]

This is one of the movies, that you never will forget for the rest of your life. Because it sucks you right into the scenes and into the roles. You are following that young lady for a night and a day in Berlin. She meets a couple of guys outside of a pub. She joins these guys and they soon become friends. The following hours evolve into the biggest adventure of her life. But that movie is not about the story or the action, it is all about the feeling and about empathy for the roles, especially for her, Viktoria. You will feel what they feel. That is why, that movie is never in a hurry. It is all about the feeling. I can imagine, that all people without empathy are bored to death from that movie. People with Asperger syndrome (for example) have no empathy. Not recommended for such people. Back to the story: after they became friends they are having a great time together, but it also turns more and more into a nightmare. And at the end of the movie, it feels, as if she will wake up at any moment in time because it was only a bad dream. But it wasn't. This is exactly what the entire movie feels like. Like dreaming a dream.

Shaky Camera for 2 1/2 hours

[chicagopoetry · 6/10 · 20 November 2015]

Victoria is an interesting experiment. The camera work sort of reminds me of Irreversible but thank goodness there isn't a twenty minute rape scene to have to endure. As you know by now it's all one shot (not exactly presented in real time since about six hours of fiction time passes). It's an impressive feat but the end result is not much more than another shaky camera "found footage" film. Most shaky camera films last about ninety minutes but this one is nearly an hour more than that. Needless to say I was pretty dizzy and a bit nauseous by the end, like taking one too many rides on a roller coaster.

The acting is really good however the entire premise poses a problem. Victoria doesn't speak German and the guys don't speak Spanish so they have to speak to each other in the limited English that they know, compacting everything into the simplest sentences. It's like listening to baby-talk. Although this is actually a realistic portrayal of how they would need to communicate given the circumstance, needless to say, listening to two and a half hours of baby-talk begins to get awfully grating.

The plot itself is pretty minimalistic: woman parties with guys; guys rope her into some criminal activity; everything goes to hell. You can look at it two ways: that Victoria is completely naive and stupid for going along with it, or that she's a completely bored bad girl and this isn't the first time that she's intentionally gotten in with the wrong crowd merely for some cheap thrills. I take the latter stance since she was so gungho and didn't hesitate for a second before agreeing to go along with the nonsense these cheap, mentally thwarted two bit hoodlums were about to get themselves into; and the most horrible crime, the kidnapping of a baby, is actually HER idea. You wouldn't know it by how innocent and shy she acts, practically biting her nails in her cute little girl act, but she's a thrill seeker and these guys are nothing but a means to that end. There is foreshadowing from moment one when she tries to make the moves on the bartender only to get rejected; and further foreshadowing when she nearly allows herself to fall off a roof simply to feel the rush of fear it creates. So the movie does leave you with quite a bit to think about: who is really naive? Victoria or the idiots that allowed Victoria to be their enabler in a doomed night of insanity? Would these guys be alive at the end of the night if they never met Victoria?

But with all that going for it, ultimately Victoria is too long and too shaky--these are the flaws you can expect when there is absolutely no editing done whatsoever.

A wonderful surprise

[stumpf10 · 10/10 · 18 December 2018]

Many of the negative reviewers see the Victoria character as a sweet girl who would not get involved with four strange street guys on a mission she doesn't understand. I didn't find it so incredible. She has just had her life turned upside down, having failed in her classical music career. She is friendless in a foreign city, and she has no one until one night she is charmed by one of the four, Sonne. I thought the movie was extremely well done. I read background that they first filmed it in several "takes," as insurance in case they couldn't get the one-take approach to work. First doing a several takes version did pay off, because the action in the final, single-take version stays smooth, and in fact drives forward at quite an accelerating pace. I was gripping my seat. The single take really puts you admidst the characters and the story. Out of nowhere, this film comes as a wonderful, thrilling surprise.

Victoria's one shot.

[morrison-dylan-fan · 6/10 · 1 October 2016]

Watching the superb 2010 Neo-Noir The Silence (also reviewed) earlier this year,I started reading up about other Neo-Noir/Thrillers from Germany. Looking at the handful of titles,one of the main films which stood out was one that had gotten praised for being filmed in one shot.

Planning to get the flick on disc,I was surprised to find a pretty high asking price. Taking a look yesterday for updates on Netflix UK,I was shocked to find that the film had just been added to the site!,which led to me getting ready to meet Victoria.

View on the film:

Successfully completed on the third take,co-writer/(along with Olivia Neergaard-Holm & Eike Frederik Schulz) director Sebastian Schipper and cinematographer Sturla Brandth Grøvlen avoid any overly complex camera moves for a rough and ready hand-held style which glides on Victoria's gradual realization on what she has become caught up in. Within the single shot, Schipper finds the shadows of Berlin's Neo-Noir sparking on the dance floor with Victoria and being slammed to the ground in a narrow pathway police chase.

Using the screenplay as an outline to the improvised dialogue, Schipper's spends the first hour just hanging out with Victoria and the guys,with the "payment" only getting an off the cuff whisper. Designed as a way for the viewer to connect to the characters, Schipper drags the first hour screeching along the floor by keeping the characters wafer thin,as the romance between Victoria and Fuss springs up without them ever being given a moment with psychological depth.

Revving up the movie for a wonderfully dour Noir ending, Schipper dices the gangs challenge to pay up Boxer's debt with some tension,which gets ground down by Schipper constantly losing focus on the action to instead stare at the inane relationships,which are not helped by the flat performances of the cast,with Laia Costa's take on the title character being rather detached,which leads to Victoria being far from victorious.

Lame

[luisvazquez98056 · 1/10 · 20 March 2021]

Implausible, I mean yeah it could happen but you got to be pretty damn dumb to carry out a heist like that. Lot of unnecessary fillers as well....

Breathtaking race through the night

[denis-23791 · 8/10 · 10 March 2019]

Incredible one-take performance, particularly by the main actress. Great suspense, very touching drama. Wonderful immersion into the nightlife of a wild Berlin. Few days after watching, changed rating from 7 to 8 as the film still had its grip on me, very moving indeed.