A barrister and his wife have grown to dislike each other : she keeps complaining that he doesn't provide her with the money and status she longed for, while he is sick and tired of her nagging. After their divorce the woman remarries. Her new husband, not coincidentally, is the barrister's brother, a very very rich man. History begins to repeat itself, with the husband gnashing his teeth about his beloved's craving for luxury. This is not going to end well...
"Lydia muss sterben" begins and ends with the blaring of an ambulance siren. The movie is sure to appeal to anyone who likes a sharp, clever thriller with ingenious twists and turns. There are also good courtroom scenes to enjoy. The plot deals with a murderous revenge plan going awry and implicating completely unexpected third parties. It all turns into a witches' brew of betrayal, blackmail and deceit.
It is hard not to feel pity for some of the characters, such as a young woman who has grown up as the much-disliked stepdaughter of a drunkard with a mean temper. The drunkard keeps telling her to find herself a husband so that he doesn't have to look at her ugly mug any longer, but every time she brings home a boyfriend he scares him away. Experts on domestic violence and dysfunctional families will recognize the pattern.
The story is set in the USA. Nothing wrong with that, but the actors and locations scream "Germany". There's a contradiction here which, every now and then, threatens to puncture that vulnerable balloon known as suspension of belief.
Still, recommended as an ingenious thriller of superior quality.
"Lydia muss sterben" begins and ends with the blaring of an ambulance siren. The movie is sure to appeal to anyone who likes a sharp, clever thriller with ingenious twists and turns. There are also good courtroom scenes to enjoy. The plot deals with a murderous revenge plan going awry and implicating completely unexpected third parties. It all turns into a witches' brew of betrayal, blackmail and deceit.
It is hard not to feel pity for some of the characters, such as a young woman who has grown up as the much-disliked stepdaughter of a drunkard with a mean temper. The drunkard keeps telling her to find herself a husband so that he doesn't have to look at her ugly mug any longer, but every time she brings home a boyfriend he scares him away. Experts on domestic violence and dysfunctional families will recognize the pattern.
The story is set in the USA. Nothing wrong with that, but the actors and locations scream "Germany". There's a contradiction here which, every now and then, threatens to puncture that vulnerable balloon known as suspension of belief.
Still, recommended as an ingenious thriller of superior quality.
