Trouble Backstairs: Coal, dust, and Berlin apartment drama

Is this actually worth the watch?

If you like movies that feel like they were filmed in someone’s actual living room, then sure. It’s a bit of a slow burn, and if you’re looking for big stakes, you might get bored pretty fast. This is for people who like watching 1920s Berlin tenement life—the grime, the gossip, and the stairwells that smell like cabbage.

If you need a fast-paced plot or something that feels "polished," skip this. It’s definitely not going to be for the superhero crowd. I found myself distracted by the peeling paint in the background more than once.

The coal trap

There’s this moment where the main character decides she’s had enough of being blamed for the missing coal. She sets a trap in the cellar. It’s a very manual, analog kind of scheme. No laser grids here, just string and a bit of hope.

I liked how the movie didn't try to make it look heroic. It’s just desperate. Being poor in a tenement isn't grand, it’s just a constant cycle of keeping your eyes on your bucket.

Oddly specific details

• The sound of shoes on wooden stairs. You can almost hear the splintering.
• The way the light hits the laundry drying in the courtyard. It’s oddly sad.
• The sheer amount of nosy neighbors hanging out of windows. It feels like they were everywhere.
• Henny Porten just carries the weight of the whole building on her face.

Sometimes the camera lingers on a door closing for a second too long. It’s not dramatic, it’s just... a door closing. It feels real, but it also makes you wonder if they just forgot to cut the scene.

Comparing it to other stuff

It’s not as wild as Rocambole, that’s for sure. It’s much more grounded than The Mystic Hour. It reminded me a bit of the tension you see in No Trespassing, where the space around you is the main character.

The whole thing feels a bit uneven. Some scenes have this sharp, biting energy, and others just kind of meander through the hallway. I didn't mind it, but I can see why a modern audience would be confused by the pacing.

It’s a tiny story. It’s not trying to fix the world. It’s just trying to figure out who took the coal. And honestly, that’s enough for me.