Dreileben - Beats Being Dead (reviewed)

Three acclaimed filmmakers offer different takes on the same incident: the manhunt for a violent psychopath. Christian Petzold’s slick direction is the star of the first movie, which focuses on a teenage love affair between a biker girl and a hospital orderly who inadvertently lets the killer escape. The manhunt is pushed into the background as their love blossoms. But with a Hitchcockian score and eerie point-of-view camerawork, the killer’s shadow looms large, imbuing this tale of young love with a sense of suspense and danger. Sounds like most relationships. Parts 2 and 3 of this trilogy (“Don’t Follow Me Around” and “One Minute of Darkness”) play directly after this screening — $20 for all three showings. (88 min.) 3 out of 4 stars.