3 1/2 Stunden

A nice movie for the whole family without any aspects of historical correctness, exept the date of building the Berlin Wall.

This drama tells the hardnes of making a lifetime-decision. It could have been settled in any other story, but it shows no history, cuz all the facts (doping, open-gay pair, female train-driver and many others) are simply wrong. Without the historical basing it would be much less disturbing. Actors did a good job, colour-grading was cheesy, camera-work was okay, CGI could have been much better, sound was great.

Very good movie with incredible acting. The plot is well put in the historical context of the time, even though details might be off to serve the story. Overall, definitely a good choice, if the division of Germany and the representative fate of many families of that time are something you are interested in. I personally like the appearance of many unknown (at least to me) actors, which I hope to see in other movies to come. Yes, there have been movies about the topic, but not necessarily from that perspective in the setting of a run against the clock story. I stumbled upon the movie by surprise and I'm very glad I've seen it.

Just finished watching this on ARD on August 7, 2021, a few days before the 60th anniversary of the division of Germany by a terrible wall. The decisions people had to make who were on that train! 3 1/2 hours to make a major decision as to how your life will be. You agonize along with the characters, feeling both with those who decide to leave the train and those who decide to continue back to home - a home that now has walls around it.

There are many mini-stories that are intertwined here, whiffs of war-time Germany, bits of lives already torn apart without the wall. Longing for a better life, finding it already in your heart.

It has such a real feeling to it, I want to know if it is based on true stories (other than that there was a train on August 13, 1961 from Munich to Berlin, Capital of the GDR). Probably not, but based on various stories people have told.

Gripping - a must see, if you are able to access it.