Im Abgrund (2020)
A morally charged German crime thriller about surveillance, guilt, and a child who vanishes when a detective looks away.
Im Abgrund - Movie Information
- Original Title: Im Abgrund
- Release Year: 2020
- Directed by: Stefan Bühling
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Crime, Thriller, Drama, Mystery
- Runtime: 1h 29m
- Original Language: German
- Spoken Languages: German, Spanish
- Release Date (Theatrical): September 26, 2020 (Germany - 16)
- Production Companies: ARD
- Production Countries: Germany
Im Abgrund - Plot
Not everyone deserves a second chance. The experienced investigator Wallat is sure of that - and certainly not the child murderer Hagenow, who is released after 15 years in prison, although he is still considered dangerous. Wallat takes over the management of an LKA team that monitors the potential repeat offender. His "unofficial" assignment does not fit into any service manual: Wallat is supposed to catch Hagenow in the act - in good time, of course - in order to put him behind bars forever. Meanwhile, the ex-convict moves into a room in the house of the idealistic village pastor Berkenbusch and starts a job at the local sawmill. The LKA team serves him around the clock. When Wallat loses sight of him during a night walk, a nightmare begins the next morning: Max, the eight-year-old son of Berkenbusch's housekeeper, has disappeared without a trace.
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Im Abgrund - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Stefan Bühling
Main Cast
- Florian Stetter
- Peter Kurth
- Tobias Moretti
- Tinka Fürst
- Simon Schwarz
- Jessica McIntyre
- Odine Johne
- Jan Krauter
Writers
- Arndt Stüwe
Producers
- Björn Vosgerau
- Uwe Kolbe
Im Abgrund - FAQs
Who are the main actors in Im Abgrund?
The cast is led by Peter Kurth as the tenacious investigator Wallat, Tobias Moretti as the unsettling ex-convict Hagenow, and Florian Stetter as the idealistic village pastor Berkenbusch. Tinka Fürst, Simon Schwarz, Jessica McIntyre, Odine Johne, and Jan Krauter round out the ensemble.
What is Im Abgrund about?
Im Abgrund follows veteran detective Wallat, tasked with covertly surveilling a released child murderer named Hagenow. When Wallat briefly loses track of him during a night walk, an eight-year-old boy disappears the next morning — plunging the investigation into a desperate, morally charged race against time.
Does Im Abgrund explore the ethics of surveillance?
Absolutely — that tension sits at the heart of the film. Wallat's unofficial mission to catch Hagenow before he strikes again operates in a legal grey zone, forcing the story to wrestle with questions about justice, presumption of guilt, and how far a system can bend its own rules to protect the innocent.
Is Im Abgrund based on a true story?
Im Abgrund is not based on a specific true story. It is an original screenplay written by Arndt Stüwe. However, the film draws on real societal debates in Germany surrounding the release of high-risk offenders and the legal and ethical dilemmas faced by law enforcement in monitoring them.
When was Im Abgrund released?
Im Abgrund premiered in Germany on September 26, 2020. The film was produced by ARD, one of Germany's major public broadcasters, and was made available to German audiences through that network's programming.
What genre is Im Abgrund?
Im Abgrund blends Crime, Thriller, Drama, and Mystery into a tightly wound package. It functions as a procedural crime drama on the surface, but its deeper psychological and moral dimensions give it a character-driven weight that sets it apart from a straightforward police thriller.
Who directed Im Abgrund?
Im Abgrund was directed by Stefan Bühling. Working from Arndt Stüwe's screenplay, Bühling crafts a slow-burn, atmosphere-heavy thriller that leans into moral ambiguity and psychological tension rather than relying on conventional action-driven suspense.
What are some movies similar to Im Abgrund?
If Im Abgrund gripped you, you might enjoy Three Days and a Life (2019), Limbo (2021), Shimmer Lake (2017), or The Execution (2022) — all crime-driven stories with strong moral undercurrents. I'm Not a Killer (2019) and Maldoror (2024) are also worth exploring for fans of European crime drama.
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