This movie flew under the radar this year, but that doesn't mean it isn't worthy of your time. Berlin Syndrome, which is streaming on Netflix, stars Teresa Palmer as Clare, a photographer backpacking through Berlin. She soon meets a handsome stranger (Max Riemelt) and spends the night with him, only to wake up the next morning to realize that he's locked her in his apartment. No big deal, right? Break a window and get out of there while he's at work? Unfortunately, Clare's attempts to escape prove futile, and you soon discover her nightmare is far from over.
This movie is a bit like the boiling frog parable — Clare doesn't realize what a predicament she's caught in until it's too late, and it's horrifying to watch. This movie lacks gore for the most part but makes up for it with psychological scares and a fantastic performance from Palmer, as per usual. Some aspects of the set-up are hard to let slide — why doesn't she just incapacitate him while he's holding the keys? — but for the most part it's a smart, twisty thriller that will put you off of one-night stands for life.
