Jerichow

German auteur Christian Petzold's original take on a "Postman Always Rings Twice"-styled love triangle cultivates rich suspense from the degrees of his ethically variable characters. Brenno Furmann is captivating as Thomas, a broke dishonorably discharged soldier who inherits his ramshackle childhood home from his recently deceased mother in the small German town of Jerichow. Thomas finds much-needed employment with Ali (Hilmi Sozer), a wealthy Turkish immigrant with a chain of snack shops and a sexy wife named Laura (Nina Hoss). In spite of Ali's knack for suspicion, Thomas and Laura strike up a  romance that spirals out of control. Petzold leverages shades of gray in his characters to color a modern noir suspense story that thrives on a modern multi-cultural European milieu.
(Cinema Guild) Not Rated. 93 mins. (B) (Three Stars)