An unusual thriller brought to the screen by Christian Petzold and his muse Nina Hoss (in a breathtaking performance as a scarred concentration camp victim) The title is double-barreled in referring to Nelly arising from the ashes of her ordeal (referring as well to Germany's efforts to rebuild after the war) There is also a nightclub called Phoenix which Nelly frequents. The film can be thought of as a sort of cinema-noir thriller in the Hitchcock vein, for example, when we see Johnny providing Nelly with a series of makeovers (a reference to Vertigo) The ending packs a real punch to a skillfully produced little character-driven picture. The film is a tad static at times but is nevertheless quite worthwhile.
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