Sebastian Schipper directs Laia Costa, Frederick Lau and Franz Rogowski in this Berlin set romance / thriller all done in one late night take.

It starts like a less pretentious, working class Before Sunrise and warps into a very, very dragged out Run Lola Run. The one shot gimmick is effectively achieved, the likeable performances (Lau in particular makes this worth watching) never noticeably slip, the action really rather awesomely never treads water. But after a slow but appealing flirtation and an enjoyable if unbelievable heist, we get left with one hell of a hungover comedown. Characters become unlikable and you keep thinking back to an earlier point where everything neatly came about full circle and just wish the credits had started rolling off there and then rather than half an hour later. As an exercise in plate spinning it is laudable, as a night out at the movies frustrating.

5