Working with Christian Petzold for the fifth time, the beautiful Nina Hoss exudes raw strength, bringing layers of meaning to Petzold's naturalistic and observational style. Barbara is a portrait of a female doctor who is transferred to a country hospital in 1980s East Germany. Despite the fact that everyone at the hospital is surprised that such an accomplished physician would take a position at such a small hospital, Barbara is unruffled, deflecting their skepticism as though this were the most natural trajectory for her career. Petzold lets the missing pieces of Barbara's back-story ripple to the surface delicately in this well-paced drama. And thriller elements emerge as Barbara allows herself to connect emotionally with a handsome fellow doctor, whom she begins to suspect may be informing on her, a new development that would interfere with her secret plans. The true tragedy of Barbara is the story of the state-imposed exile that denied individuals the ability to determine the course of their lives.