Weekend Movie Forecast: Harry Potter or 500 Days of Summer

A Woman in Berlin, set in 1945 during the Red Army invasion of Berlin, looks at the army's systematic rape of German women through the eyes of Anonyma (Nina Hoss), who had been a journalist and photographer. To survive, she seeks protection from a Russian officer and the complicated relationship that develops was largely inspired by a true account detailed in a diary found in Berlin after the war. A.O. Scott at the Times writes, "As grim and brutal as it often is, A Woman in Berlin is also lively and observant, stocked with vivid minor characters and well-observed scenes that capture glints of comedy in the midst of desperation. That the film manages to be understated, calm and intelligent in spite of its wrenching subject matter is perhaps its most impressive accomplishment. In avoiding sensationalism, it feels very close to the truth."