Enlarge image
Inspector Ballauf (Klaus J. Behrendt, r.) with fellow police officer Topal (David Vormweg): evening series or real life?
Photo: Thomas Kost / WDR
The scenario:
In the cooldown of glory.
A troupe of early evening performers celebrate the year 2018 in a mansion, at the end of New Year's Eve one of them floats dead in the swimming pool.
Moritz Seitz (Thomas Heinze), known as the star of the veterinary soap Doctor Schröder, is found guilty.
But four years later, a fellow actor contacts Ballauf (Klaus J. Behrendt) and Schenk (Dietmar Bär) and claims that he committed the murder.
The other is released, but he can't continue his television career as Doctor Schröder any more than his marital bliss with his wife (NIna Kronjäger).
In the meantime, she has also lost her job on a police evening series, but has brought a real patrolman into the villa as a lover.
The highlight:
Where does the evening series end, where does the tragedy begin?
Jumping between 2018 and 2022, this »crime scene« plays between worn-out actors who struggle through with jobs in the sokos and country doctor purrs of the previous evening - but through the sophisticated play with the time levels their poverty and rebellion develop tragic depth.
The picture:
Cop looks at cop.
The policeman, who has taken up residence in the actor's villa, is watching an old "crime scene" in the bedroom, in which the legendary senior customs inspector Kressin (Sieghardt Rupp) lays down an action scene.
The dialogue:
Soap actor Seitz is back from prison and asks his wife to throw the policeman out of the villa.
He: »Carolin, this man is not at your level.«
You: »Who is talking about quality here? Without Frank, without his money, without his structure, without his patience..."
He: "Oh, he can go! With his 2.5 a month..."
Her: »2.7. I can't even film my fucking eve."
He: »I have money.«
Her: "You have a job?"
He looks good."
You "You've been cast?"
He: "Not quite yet, but soon."
Her: "Soon! That's what they always told me."
The song:
Autumn Leaves by Nat King Cole.
The song plays as the actor returns to his home and rearranges the memories.
And while the big crooner Cole is baring his arms over autumn leaves, the leaves are also rotting in the pool in the villa's garden.
Overall, different versions of the song are running, for example by Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and - especially nice for the finale - Eva Cassidy.
The review:
9 out of 10 points.
Sophisticated plot, elegant image design, superb soundtrack: the »Tatort« as a statement against the socialization of German television crime thrillers.
Bär and Behrendt have been in front of the camera as Schenk and Ballauf for 25 years now, and you could hardly have given them a nicer present for their anniversary.
The analysis:
Please read on here!
"Tatort: Four Years",
Sunday 8:15 p.m., The First