#sebastianschipper

Not too long ago, I got into a conversation with some fellow film-loving friends, and the conversation gravitated towards the rarity that is a ‘one-take’ film.  Whether it be a true one-taker, like Russian Ark or Timecode, or a cleverly edited one-taker, like Rope or Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), the film that can carry you through its events in one motion is a sight to behold.  During that conversation, a one-take film that was not on my radar was mentioned, and I decided to check it out.  That film is Victoria. 

Victoria (Laia Costa), out for a night of clubbing to celebrate a move to Berlin from Spain, runs into a group of young men that intrigue her : the persistently flirtatious Sonne (Frederick Lau), the intimidating but seemingly sweet Boxer (Franz Rogowski), the unique and offbeat Blinker (Burak Yigit), and the quiet birthday boy Fuß (Max Mauff).  Their night of mischief starts off seemingly innocent, but as the night progresses and guards are let down, secrets are revealed that raise the danger level for the group.

Victoria is a pressure cooker film, as the seemingly innocent bidding of Sonne and his gradually rising persistence on keeping Victoria around despite her constant drive to get home setting expectations that are exceeded.  The long take gives us no relief on this sense of pressure, and each time Victoria gives in to Sonne’s wishes our sense of impending doom rises.  Victoria’s demeanor feigns innocence, but her revelations constantly make us reassess the situations, to the point where we don’t question her decision to join Sonne in his predicament despite no clue of the danger present due to her attraction to him.  By the time we realize the weight and ramifications of these choices, there is no turning back for the characters, and we are left to wonder how each will handle the aforementioned pressure. 

The questionable love story presented is one that is only truly accepted at the point that Sonne reveals why he’s not been fully present despite his persistence.  This lapse in judgement leads to an eventual emotional power play by Andi (Andre Hennicke), who threatens to hold Victoria hostage, forcing Boxer and his friends’ hand.  The way that attraction and friendship plays into the acceptance of stakes presented into the film feels very real.  Even though Sonne and his group of friends appear seemingly out of nowhere, you quickly find yourselves intrigued by them, despite you’re own trepidations about them.  As the narrative proceeds, you trust them, pity them, and eventually found yourself broken as you watch them become victims to their choices.

This film must have been a true task for the camera operator(s) and sound team.  There are minimal cuts, if any, and the ones that I thought I saw were utilizing old school tricks such as the ones used in Hitchcock’s Rope, but executed better.  The lightness of tone in the nighttime gradually transitions into an extremely desperate and dark tone during the daylight, making you feel both the weight of the events presented and the alarmingly short amount of time that these amounts occurred in.  For those looking for unique films in a world full of standard issue, Victoria is definitely worth your time. 

The arc the Laia Costa embarks on in her performance is inspiring : from a playful but forceful stance, to an open nature and romantic spark that makes dangerous trust acceptable, to overconfidence, to the Icarus-like fall back into reality, we remain engaged in her every move.  Frederick Lau provides an extremely reserved and cerebral performance that will certainly demand repeat viewings to fully comprehend, as his layered mental work provides an extremely textured romantic lead.  Franz Rogowski plays the charming victim, as his look and personality endear him to you, playing against his circumstances that drive the tension of the film.  Burak Yigit provides a true audience surrogate, playing cool until he completely breaks, only to try and embrace the ride before it abruptly ends for him.  Andre Hennicke does a lot with a little, owning his limited screen time by presenting himself as the clear danger.