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Melodrama about a man of modest origins who falls for the wife of his rich patron.

Germany, 1912. A man of modest origins, Friederich Zeitz works at the steel factory of the rich Karl Hoffmeister. Impressed by his intelligence and efficiency, Hoffmeister offers him a job as his assistant. As his right hand man and confidant, Friederich meets Hoffmeister’s wife, the young Charlotte. The two begin a silent and illusory love affair, which is upset by her husband’s business and the Great War.

For his first international project, Patrice Leconte orchestrates an outdated melodrama, bundled up with daunting classicism. The immortal story of forbidden love between a married women and a man of modest origins does not offer the slightest spark in this case, despite an astonishing soundtrack by Gabriel Yared, which sadly is pushed into the background. Faced with a drab Rebecca Hall and not helped much by the bland dialogue, Richard Madden, catapulted to fame by Game of Thrones, confirms he has charisma. Unfortunately, that isn’t enough to add color to this boring romantic drama.