Das schönste Paar (2018)

The two teachers, Malte and Liv Brinkmann, are a couple. While on holiday together in Mallorca, they are attacked by three teenagers in their holiday apartment. Malte is knocked down, and Liv is raped in front of him. Two years later, Malte has tried to suppress what happened while also trying to improve his ability to defend himself through boxing lessons. Liv has undergone therapy. By chance, Malte runs into Sascha, the man who raped his wife, at a snack bar in Cologne. He follows Sascha and his girlfriend, but loses track of them at the train platform. His concentration as a teacher suffers, and old wounds are reopened. Malte spends days at the platform until he spots his tormentor again and follows him to his apartment. While Sascha is away, Malte breaks down the door and discovers that Sascha leads an ordinary life, has a girlfriend, and works as an apprentice at a hardware store. Suddenly, Sascha appears in the doorway. He recognizes Malte and runs away. Malte catches up with him, and they get into a fight. Sascha threatens to kill Malte if he ruins his life. Malte’s emotional distress does not go unnoticed by Liv. When he tells her about it, she does not want to relive her suffering and asks him to let the matter rest. But Malte cannot simply forget and suppress the past, which puts a strain on his relationship with Liv. A lawyer also gives them little hope of securing a conviction or a harsh sentence after two years. Malte visits Sascha’s girlfriend, Jenny, who works as a barmaid at a karaoke bar. He tells her that her boyfriend raped his wife. Jenny confronts Sascha with the accusations. Sascha then goes to Liv and Malte’s apartment and threatens Liv, having secretly followed Malte home earlier. Furious, Malte wants to settle things once and for all and drives with Liv to Sascha’s apartment. They do not find him there, however, and go to visit Jenny at the bar, where Sascha attacks Malte from behind with a knife. Sascha flees into the street. Malte catches up with him and threatens to strangle him, but Liv talks him out of it at the last moment. When Sascha, badly weakened and lying on the ground, provocatively asks what he should turn himself in for, Liv loses her temper. She grabs his knife and stabs him in the shoulder. Malte and Liv nevertheless decide to drive Sascha to a hospital, where his life is saved. Back home, Malte and Liv vent their frustration and relief by laughing as they wreck their shared apartment.