Review of Barbara (2012) by Thomas W — 26 Nov 2013

Set in the rural countryside of communist East Germany in 1981, Barbara is the story of a doctor who has been moved to the outskirts of civilization as a reprimand for having tried to find employment in West Berlin in a time when that thought was inconceivable and punishable by law.

The doctor is Barbara who is in love with a businessman from West Berlin whom she meets from time to time when he is allowed to do business outside of the wall in Berlin. They hope to find a way to get Barbara to freedom so that they can be together .

.. although this isn't easy as Barbara is needed quite often at the rural hospital where she has been placed and she is also watched rather closely by government agents who will oftentimes check in on her and perform cavity searches -- because communists can do this.

She has a few patients that rely heavily on her and she befriends another young doctor who has been placed at her same hospital ... so she begins to realize her freedom will come at a cost to others. Barbara is a VERY slow moving film but it is rather well-made.

It takes some time for one to become accustomed to the film's pace but the story kept my interest even though little happens from scene to scene. It builds some tension as the film nears its conclusion even though the pacing never really picks up.

That is rather surprising ... as this little film surprised me. I didn't expect much out of this ... and there isn't much to Barbara; but it is still a rather good film. It is always interesting looking back into time at another place and culture -- and late Cold War-era East Germany has always intrigued me.

Barbara shows there was heart and warmth in this cold era.