Berlin Syndrome is a psychological horror thriller film directed by Cate Shortland from a screenplay by Shaun Grant, based on the novel of the same name by Melanie Joosten. The film follows a young Australian photographer Teresa Palmer who travels to Germany, where she meets an attractive young English teacher Max Riemelt.
Waking up after a stormy night of passion with him, the photographer is suddenly taken hostage by her would-be lover. The film received very positive reviews from critics, with many praising the atmosphere, and the performances of Palmer and Riemelt. They spend the day together, then have sex in Andi's apartment. The following morning, Clare finds herself locked in.
Upon Andi's return, he says he forgot to leave a key, and she spends another night after they go out dancing. The next day, Clare finds he has written meine German for 'mine' on her shoulder and taken the SIM card from her phone. Attempting to smash her way out the windows, she finds they are double-paned and reinforced with plexiglass.
It dawns on her that the other apartments in the building are abandoned. When Andi returns, Clare begs him to let her go but he begins restraining her to the bed while he is at work, leaving her to soil herself. At dinner with his father, Erich, Andi tells him he is dating Clare.
Erich asks what happened to his previous girlfriend Natalie, and Andi says she returned to Canada. That night, Andi lets Clare shower and she finds a clump of long blonde hair in the drain. Andi texts Clare's mother posing as her, informing her she is well. Clare finds a screwdriver under the sofa and, when Andi comes home, she stabs him in the hand and flees the apartment. Andi catches her in the courtyard downstairs, breaking her fingers and bringing her back inside.
