Very well executed

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

The movie is surprisingly subdued in its pacing, its characterizations, and its go-for-broke sensibilities.

A somewhat engaging film that recounts the Berlin years of Christopher Isherwood's diary. I'm not a Doctor Who fan, so I was more distracted by the fact that Matt Smith looks nothing like Christopher Isherwood, nor does Imogen Poots look anything like Jean Ross, but they both give adequate performances. The film mainly plays upon two brief love affairs and the trials and tribulations of Isherwood's boarding house neighbors, with Toby Jones giving a great performance as an immoral conman with a penchant for S&M-- frankly his character was the most interesting in the film. In the end, like most biographies, it only touches upon great matters like Hitler's rise to power, the plight of the gay men of Berlin and the coming world war. Ultimately, it was a fragmented film without a plot.

A true story told well. Like the movie "The Pianist", you really get a feeling of how it was to be there. Berlin, and Munich and some other German cites were quite tolerant of Gays throughout the '20's and Germany had the highest levels of education in the world at the time. From this distance it's hard to imagine how the rise of the Nazis could have happened, and movies like this make it real to today's viewers. Of course opposition to Hitler in the 1930's was not as solid here and in England as is portrayed by most of today's history books. Nor is it safe to assume that something similar could not happen again, although likely in a different form than seen among modern NeoNazis. Something that seems so right to most people at the time. It has been said that insanity is rare in individuals but quite common in groups.

This is the BBC at its most disappointing, delivering glossy, glib, entertaining "product" which could have been, should have been, something deeply moving and profound. Acting, writing, directing, and production are all competent...and nothing more.Matt Smith's performance amounts to one unconvincing pose after another. To play Isherwood, one of the Fox brothers (James or Edward) in his prime would have been ideal. Surely there's a British actor out there who could have made an indelible impression with this part; Smith doesn't have the edge. It's hard not to think of you-know-Who when he does his trademark OTT posturing. There's no depth here.Deeply disappointing.

An otherwise brilliant idea was ruined by Matt Smith's performance. This actor had just done a few 'bit' parts in UK drama until he was cast to play BBC's 'Dr Who'. His abilities are fine for light entertainment - but it doesn't make him a good actor.He was clearly chosen to play this role purely because of his 'Dr Who' connection - not for the merit of his potential performance. Having him attached no doubt gave Mammoth the green light they needed from the BBC. He brought nothing to the role of Christopher Isherwood - a rich, complex and intriguing man who was a seminal and critical voice of Nazi Germany in the run up to WWII. Matt Smith was unable to cope with such a demanding character and brought nothing to the part. A really lacking performance. He was also completely 'out acted' by his fellow cast - each and every one of them.Get back to the Tardis, Mr Smith and leave the proper acting to the decent actors out there. You ruined a potentially brilliant piece of drama.