Review: Christian Petzold’s Miroirs No 3 is an Elegantly Unnerving Mystery
German director Christian Petzold delivers a psychological mystery in Miroirs No 3, described as an elegant and disquieting exploration of grief and family dysfunction. The film stars Paula Beer as Laura, a depressed pianist who survives a catastrophic car crash in the Brandenburg countryside that kills her abusive partner, Jakob. Following the accident, Laura is taken in by Betty, a mysterious woman she briefly locked eyes with before the crash. Betty lives in a run-down house with her semi-estranged husband Richard and son Max, who run a shady car-repair workshop. As Laura integrates into this strange household, subtle clues suggest Betty may be manipulating her, including a slip where Betty calls Laura by another name, Yelena. The narrative evokes comparisons to PD James and Joseph Losey, creating a dreamlike atmosphere of shock and unreality. Unlike typical thrillers seeking macabre twists, Petzold’s film moves toward a positive, redemptive conclusion. It serves as a study of an unhappy family dynamic and the concept of a cuckoo in the nest, questioning whether Laura is a victim or a complicit participant in the unfolding psychological drama.
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Review: Christian Petzold’s Miroirs No 3 is an Elegantly Unnerving Mystery
German director Christian Petzold delivers a psychological mystery in Miroirs No 3, described as an elegant and disquieting exploration of grief and family dysfunction. The film stars Paula Beer as Laura, a depressed pianist who survives a catastrophic car crash in the Brandenburg countryside that kills her abusive partner, Jakob. Following the accident, Laura is taken in by Betty, a mysterious woman she briefly locked eyes with before the crash. Betty lives in a run-down house with her semi-estranged husband Richard and son Max, who run a shady car-repair workshop. As Laura integrates into this strange household, subtle clues suggest Betty may be manipulating her, including a slip where Betty calls Laura by another name, Yelena. The narrative evokes comparisons to PD James and Joseph Losey, creating a dreamlike atmosphere of shock and unreality. Unlike typical thrillers seeking macabre twists, Petzold’s film moves toward a positive, redemptive conclusion. It serves as a study of an unhappy family dynamic and the concept of a cuckoo in the nest, questioning whether Laura is a victim or a complicit participant in the unfolding psychological drama.
The Guardian