“Tatort” from Stuttgart
If you can’t trust your own family: A crime story about false loyalty
The Stuttgart inspector Thorsten Lannert (Richy Müller) builds trust in the young David (Louis Guillaume).
© SWR/Benoît Linder
In Stuttgart’s “Tatort” a boy has to choose between loyalty to his family and a way out of crime. But it’s not just Inspectors Lannert and Bootz who try to influence him, a tough social worker also puts him in a dilemma.
- 3 out of 5 points
- The story about loyalty in a crime family is not new, but it is well told. Nevertheless, we have already seen the whole thing better
What’s the matter?
David (Louis Guillaume) is 13 years old and has already experienced bad things in his life: the big one Brother died in a car race, father is in prison, he lives in a youth facility. His only bright spot is the social worker Annarosa (Caroline Cousin), whom the boy has a crush on and who really wants David to be able to live a life according to his ideas. But David is also under surveillance by his criminal cousins, who leave him behind on a jewelry store robbery. When a woman dies, the underage student becomes even more of a focus. They cleverly put pressure on him in order to use him for their machinations. When inspectors Lannert (Richy Müller) and Bootz (Felix Klare) begin their investigation, they quickly know what could have happened. But how do they get David on their side? Especially since David’s confidante Annarosa doesn’t think much of the police either.
Why is “Crime Scene: Torn” worth it?
The film succeeds in capturing the incredible vulnerability of young people during puberty: pressure is exerted on David from all sides. He wants to honor his brother and help the family, wants to please Annarosa and at the same time believe his father. He has a hard time listening to himself and knowing who he can trust and who he can’t. This disorientation becomes a danger for him because everyone wants to influence him. The dynamics within the broken family also seem authentic, especially when everyone gathers at their grandma’s or the cousins try to appeal to David’s family honor.
What bothers?
The character of Annarosa could have used a little less cliché: the social worker is supposed to be extremely tough. She does martial arts and zooms around on a motorcycle, gets into trouble with the police and always seems to know what they’re doing. Your anti-establishment seems a bit artificial at times. It’s a shame, because, as is so often the case, she is almost the only female character with a significant story in the film.
The commissioners?
Lannert and Bootz investigate in a pleasantly solid manner and without the sometimes strange detours into private life. The two only disagree on one point: Bootz takes Annarosa’s criticism of the police to heart and questions whether they should really put pressure on thirteen-year-old David. Lannert, on the other hand, wants to solve the murder by any means possible.
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Turn on or off?
“Tatort: Zerrissen” from Stuttgart is definitely enough for a solid crime evening. However, you will be able to easily follow the plot if you are also hanging out laundry or doing crossword puzzles.