The German Friend (2012): cast, story & where to watch
2012 · Film · ★ 5.3
Released in 2012, The German Friend is a drama and romance film directed by Jeanine Meerapfel, running about 100 minutes.
What it’s about. It’s the late 1950s, and in an affluent and quietly respectable part of Buenos Aires, young Sulamit Löwenstein strikes up a friendship with her next-door neighbour Friedrich over the whereabouts of her family dog. She is the daughter of German-Jewish immigrants to Argentina, he is the son of a senior SS officer, a tragic political legacy from whose shadow both characters struggle to escape over the next three decades. Following the teenaged Friedrich to Germany, Sulamit finds him caught up in the radical politics of late-1960s student life; and she’s forced to make important decisions about her attitude to her homeland when Friedrich returns to Argentina to join the fight against the military junta.
Who’s in it. The German Friend stars Celeste Cid as Sulamit Löwenstein, Max Riemelt as Friedrich Burg, Benjamin Sadler as Michael Tendler and Hartmut Becker as Herr Werner Kunheim, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.3/10, The German Friend has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Film Movement Plus and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The German Friend page.
If you liked it. Fans of The German Friend tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The German Friend (2012)?
- In US, The German Friend is available to stream on Film Movement Plus, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Google Play Movies and YouTube. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The German Friend worth watching?
- The German Friend holds an audience score of 5.3 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and romance. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The German Friend?
- The German Friend stars Celeste Cid, Max Riemelt, Benjamin Sadler, Hartmut Becker and Joaquín Berthold.
- When was The German Friend released?
- The German Friend was released in 2012, with a runtime of about 100 minutes.