- 5 out of 5 points
- Touching thriller about familial abuse
What is it about?
"Polizeiruf 110" from Rostock - A journey into the heart of darkness: König and Böwe look into an abyss
15 years ago, teenager Jessica disappeared without a trace. Now her DNA is found at the crime scene of a murdered doctor. Detectives Katrin König (Anneke Kim Sarnau) and Melly Böwe (Lina Beckmann) encounter a deeply disturbed family: mother Evelyn Sonntag (Judith Engel) still lives in the belief that her daughter is still alive. Her husband Robert (Holger Daemgen), on the other hand, has long since come to terms with the subject. And son Henrik (Adrian Grünewald) has been completely lost since his sister's disappearance. In order to understand what is happening in the present, the investigators have to delve deep into the past.
Why is "Polizeiruf 110: Nur Gespenster" worth watching?
"In most cases, children and young people suffer sexual violence in their nuclear family," confirmed the German government's commissioner for abuse. This "Polizeiruf 110" shows the extent to which abuse destroys families. Women who look the other way and are therefore complicit. Siblings who witness these terrible acts - but are not taken seriously and suffer in silence as a result. The perpetrators who have to reckon with their crimes coming to light for the rest of their lives. Above all, the victims, who are broken by the terrible crimes committed against them. And by the family's refusal to acknowledge their suffering.
Actress Judith Engel in particular conveys a sense of how the misery manifests itself almost physically: She manages a credible portrayal of a mother physically and psychologically worn down by decades of repression.
What is disturbing?
There is little to criticize about this moving film (written by Astrid Ströher and directed by Andreas Herzog). The only thing worth criticizing is the broadcast date. A week before Christmas Eve, many viewers might switch off in search of something more contemplative - which would be a shame.
The detectives?
Katrin König also has to deal with ghosts from the past: a man who turns out to be her father is following her. Melly Böwe, on the other hand, has to fend off the taunts of her colleague Volker Thiesler (Josef Heynert), who feels he has been passed over for promotion and clearly has problems with the female dual leadership.
Switch on or switch off?
In contrast to the Münster "Tatort" of the previous week, this is not a feel-good crime thriller for the Christmas season. But you should still tune in - it's worth it!
Detectives Böwe and König last investigated these cases:
- Intense and touching: The inner turmoil of a trans man
- König without Bukow: Rostock detective investigates with a new partner
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- These TV annual reviews will be shown in 2023
- Sky documentary: "23 - The mysterious death of a hacker"
Source: www.stern.de
