Wolfsburg

A German film. Philipp is a sales manager at a car dealership. While talking on the phone he hits a child. He stops, gets out, looks, and then gets back in and drives away. The child is in hospital. His mother Laura works in a supermarket and lives alone; she has nobody but her son. Philipp follows the news. He sees her photograph in the paper and goes to the supermarket. His purpose is neither to help nor to confess; he does not know himself what he is doing. The two start talking. Laura does not know who he is. From there the film becomes a narrative of guilt. Philipp enters her life, supports her, and telling the truth gets harder at every step. The police investigation runs at the same time and the trail of the car comes slowly closer. What the narrative is interested in is not punishment but how a person tries to live with what he has done and what arrangement he builds for it. The film moves calmly; little music, long scenes and a camera kept at a distance. Benno Fürmann plays Philipp and Nina Hoss plays Laura. Christian Petzold directed. It was made first for television and then shown at festivals. A strong production for anyone who likes contemporary German cinema and drama built on guilt. For a viewer expecting a thriller, the film is cold and slow.