In his first assignment without colleague Raczek, Commissioner Vincent Ross in Brandenburg has to deal with a particularly tragic case. What happens when small businesses go bankrupt? ‘The God of Bankruptcy’ demands sacrifice – and Ross gets unexpected support.
What happens?
The body of Antoni Mazur (Frank Jendrzytza) is found in a gravel pit. Mazur was a pilgrim, together with many hikers on the nearby Jacobsweg, which leads through the middle of Brandenburg. There is no trace of a murder weapon, and the questioning of the other pilgrims initially yielded little that could be used.
Detective Chief Inspector Vincent Ross (André Kaczmarczyk) soon finds out that Mazur was on the verge of bankruptcy, and not only that: With Caroline Mai (Maj-Britt Klenke) and Maria Schick (Anna-Maria Bednarzik), two young women in the group make a pilgrimage, which also have to do with the issue of insolvency. Mai’s mother Juliane (Imke Büchel) has to give up her print shop, a long-established family business with a lot of tradition, Schick’s father Udo (Bernhard Schir) is an insolvency administrator, and his partner Jonathan Hueter (Godehard Giese) is a busy debt counselor.
The crowd of suspects seems manageable, but the case is tricky. Ross gets dedicated support from Karl Rogov (Frank Leo Schröder), of all people, a police officer from the neighboring police station in Lebus, who has so far attracted attention because of his impatient solo efforts.
What is it really about?
Superficially a criminal case, this “police call 110” tells more about the stories behind those “clearance sale” signs that are increasingly hanging in shop windows. “The God of Bankruptcy” is about what tragic cases, what suffering is hidden behind the process that official German classifies as “insolvency proceedings” so disdainfully and emotionlessly.
Away-Zapp-Moment?
Without revealing too much, it is quite possible that the ARD viewers collectively close their eyes at around 9:07 p.m.
Wow-Factor?
Art comes here on rather soft soles. Despite various pitfalls as far as the plot strands are concerned – the cooperation of the at first glance so opposite types Vincent Ross and Karl Rogov, the internal relationship between Udo Schick and Jonathan Hütter, the thing with the Jacobsweg – the story remains atmospheric and succeeds Author Mike Bäuml and director Felix Karolus combined a large-scale topic and crime thriller. It’s also nice that the otherwise common verbal wrangling with irony is avoided. In addition, the number with the murder weapon is a pretty clever trick that should not only please fans of Roald Dahl.
How was it?
7.5 out of 10 points – a tragic social drama, a good new start for Ross/Kaczmarczyk, subtly exciting, and very solidly staged
