Miroirs No. 3
Credit: 1-2 Special, Piffl Medien
Christian Petzold’s Miroirs No. 3 is a breezy, pleasant watch that may disappoint fans of his edgier work, most recently the simmering Afire (2023).
Petzold’s regular muse Paula Beer (vibrant as always), stars as Laura: a pianist who survives a car crash and is taken in by Betty (Barbara Auer) and her family. Before long, it turns out Betty’s family is healing from a secret trauma of their own. Not much else happens, which isn’t a negative: Petzold is best at subtle exchanges. Convincingly eccentric characters, unhurried pacing and country bike rides give Miroirs a languorous, cozy feeling. When Betty politely warns Laura about her husband and son’s irresistible urge to fix appliances, Laura can’t resist testing it out. These unexpectedly absorbing moments are human gold.
On the down side, there are spell-breakers: when contrivances delay conflict, or when detours delay destinations we’ve already seen coming. Or—spoiler alert—when the film ends abruptly.
But even so, we breathe easy. Diegetic Andre Laplante pieces, including the titular Miroirs No. 3 (also featured in Call Me By Your Name), help the flow—and despite occasional flaws, the end result is worth our while: beautifully naturalistic, surprisingly reassuring, Petzold’s latest is an intimate exploration of trauma…and our efforts to fill the void.
