A modest true-crime tale that prioritizes history over thrills.
TWITTER
12/18/2020
Udo Flohr s debut fictionalizes the hunt for the Angel of Bremen, who poisoned 15 people nearly two centuries ago.
Far from the movie viewers may expect when they hear the words German serial killer,
Effigy: Poison and the City takes a dignified, old-fashioned approach to homicidal insanity that befits its early-19th century setting. Based on a play by Peer Meter inspired by the crimes of real-life killer Gesche Margarethe Gottfried, aka the Angel of Bremen, the film reimagines the killer s discovery and capture, using it as an opportunity for a young female law clerk to prove herself to the doubtful men around her. Though clearly made on a tight budget, Udo Flohr s feature debut finds a seriousness to match its unshowy production values, likely endearing it more to history buffs than thriller fans.