The Eighth Day

Vera Pukal (Katharina Thalbach) is not only a single mother of a boy and an ambitious investigative journalist. As a sophisticated woman, she also doesn't believe in the suicide theory when she discovers the body of a respected scientist in retort medicine. Shortly before his death, Vera had asked the test-tube doctor for a delicate exchange on the subject of genetic manipulation, and now she persistently investigates further. Apparently, the dead scientist's company is experimenting with human cloning. When a contract killer is set on her, Vera only just manages to escape her pursuer... Director Reinhard Münster's thrilling political thriller “The Eighth Day” takes up the concerns of its time on the subject of cloning and genetic engineering and brings them to life with a superb cast. In addition to Katharina Thalbach, the cast includes Heinz Hoenig, Hans Christian Blech, Peter Simonischek and Nicolette Krebitz. “Donnerwetter! German cinema can be this exciting! Reinhard Münster's ingenious genetic thriller captivates with a story that is as enigmatic as it is exciting. (...) “Der achte Tag” is a ... film in the tradition of instructive and cautionary thriller creators such as Costa-Gavras, Henri Verneuil and Francesco Rosi.” (Hans Messias, in: Cinema) “Münster's film has everything that Reinhard Hauff's Simmel adaptation MIT DEN CLOWNS KAMEN DIE TRÄNEN lacks: a sense of tempo, rhythm and the right tone of voice. [...] When someone speaks, they say no more than is necessary for the story, and when the film is silent, it knows why. And Katharina Thalbach, Heinz Honig and Hans Christian Blech are so present in every scene that one becomes painfully aware of how rarely in German film actors develop a life of their own that shapes the face of a film even beyond on and off.” (Michael Althen, in: Die Zeit)