Calendario mortal

And there it is again, and it bothers me as a German viewer especially, the well-known problem of German film: this extreme artificiality. People act and talk according to a script, but not the way they would in real life. Actors act in front of the camera as if they were on a theater stage. The camera is 10 cm in front of their face, but they act as if this were an evening for the 10th row in the 2nd tier. And when you add to that such a thin plot that makes me wonder who didn't notice the huge gaps, the result just can't be good. And it isn't. The movie suffers from many things at once and suffocates from its clichés.

"The Calendar Killer" wants to be something different. From the title alone, it projects a sense of self-righteousness, an air of significance. I wanted to buy in - I really did. The dark, moody atmosphere, the German dialogue that demands full attention. It had promise. But as the mystery unfolds, so do its flaws, unraveling in ways that feel less like a carefully plotted puzzle and more like a slow descent into absurdity.

The protagonist is sympathetic enough, the kind of character you're supposed to root for. And at first, I did. But then she makes choices - bewildering, frustrating choices - that seem completely divorced from reality. The kind that pull you out of the story rather than deeper into it. The film wades into sensitive territory, clearly aiming for depth, but it never quite lands the punch. Instead, it fumbles its message, leaving the protagonist delivering a speech that should resonate, should mean something. Instead, it frustrates.

That's when it lost me. I can suspend disbelief when a story earns it, when the logic of its world holds together. But here? Here, the cracks are too big, the missteps too frequent. And for a film that wants you to think, to reflect, to feel something meaningful - it instead achieves something else entirely. An eye roll.

This Sebastian Fitzek adaptation attempts to wrap a serious subject such as domestic violence in a thriller with horror elements, but fails miserably due to the lurid and implausible production. The plot is contrived and overloaded, the characters act irrationally, and any emotion is left by the wayside. Instead of creating concern or suspense, the film loses itself in clichéd twists and pseudo-dramatic moments. A sensitive subject is misused in a clumsy way that not only disappoints but also annoys. Unfortunately a low point, despite solid acting, especially by Luise Heyer - 2.5 out of 10 stars.

(2024) The Calendar Killer/ Sebastian Fitzeks Der Heimweg (In German with English subtitles) PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER

At the intro from the news media about the "Calendar Killer" for the reason he has been given that name is because he jots the exact day each victim is going to be killed. The difference is viewers do not know who "The Calendar killer" is nor know what he looks like, until the very end. The next scene has Jules (Sabin Tambrea) in charge of his own call in hotline for women called "Walk Me Home Hotline" and giving some helpful and useful advice to a lady who phoned in regarding a group of men. And as a result of some advice, she managed to wait around long enough to get on to her bus. Jules next caller is Klara (Luise Heyer) who she is on a midlife crisis claiming she was on the domain of the killer himself until she found a way to escape. And for the next hour or so, we know more about the lives of both Klara and Jules. From Klara and her so called important abusive husband, Martin (Friedrich Mücke) and how Jules motivated to have his own "walk me home" service operator, that has something to do with the loss of his wife while he was working as a 911 operator.

The revelation that lead up to the Calendar killer makes no sense as viewers are completely oblivious about his connection and his previous victims whomever that might be.

Klara has an abusive marriage to Martin, but Martin holds something over her. She had mental problems, and was sent to a less than ideal place, so he holds it over her. If she disobeys, he will send her back. And he justifies his abuse in that she accepts it. She has a daughter Amelie that she is very protective of. Jules is working a help line. He used to be in the fire service handling calls, but had a terrible experience, so now is on a help line. His help is to stay with the person who calls for help until the danger has passed, such as when they are walking home at night. One night he gets a call from Klara, who has gotten a message from the Calendar Killer. Either she or her husband will be killed by midnight. For a good part of the movie, one sees how Jules is trying to help her. She knows her husband is very abusive, but she cannot leave him. And many critics simply do not understand what that is all about. Where the movie fails is towards the end, with the twist it takes. And that is unfortunate, as until then, a fairly compelling story, with lots of tension, is presented.