During the day, the city of Berlin runs like any other, following the rules of federal and local decree, but once the sun goes down the night management takes control and they do not allow any form of authority to tell them what to do.
Throughout the centuries a vampire coven trio has banded together in order to seek the greatest pleasures out of life that only immortality can bring. Louise (Nina Hoss) – the leader, Charlotte (Jennifer Ulrich) – the sensible one, and Nora (Anna Fischer) – the carefree spirit; together they have survived and thrived in the lapse of luxury but now Louise feels that it is time to find a new member, someone that she hopes will love her.
The new prospect is a troubled young woman named Lena (Karoline Herfurth). She is on probation for car theft and spends her days scouring the streets pick-pocketing and hustling people out of their money. After an incidental run in with a narcotics detectives, Lena winds up at Louise’s night club where Louise takes an immediate attraction to her and vows to change her life forever, forcing her into the life of vampirism. Complicating the issue is the narcotics detective Tom (Max Riemelt) who notices the change in Lena’s looks and health, meanwhile, Lena begins changing the harmonious status of the coven as she reminds them what it was to once be human, to have emotions, and to care about life.
After watching the trailer for We Are the Night several months ago, I thought I had an idea as to what I was getting into. I was only half right, and that being said I’m glad I was because both halves blew me away.
While the movie plays up to the gothic aspects of a vampire’s impression the audience is not beaten over the head with the ideals and textures of it all. The film is as close to realistic in tone as it can be for a movie about immortal blood suckers and at times does not feel like a horror movie at all. There are wonderfully constructed dramatic scenarios as the characters are fleshed out (pun intended) to reveal their true human natures (Charlotte was my favorite), a great extended action sequence; all of it making for a well paced, finely directed film with wonderful cinematography.
Dennis Gansel directed the movie from his story that was scripted by him and Jan Berger, and most of the actors and actresses have worked with Gansel before in another movie he directed, The Wave. There was great chemistry throughout the movie in front of the camera and what was happening behind it; all of that benefitting what was the making of a good movie that may be classified as horror but it lends itself to all genres, and the fact that I’m still thinking about it is one of the best things any kind of movie can do.
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