Poison is a concentrated grief drama rather than the romance suggested by its German subtitle. Désirée Nosbusch gives two performers the space to explore a relationship still shaped by loss and unspoken conflict.
Lucas and Edith meet at a cemetery years after separating. Their son's grave may have to be moved because of contamination in the ground. Waiting for the people responsible leads them into a conversation about their shared past. The setting gives the physical problem an emotional echo.
Trine Dyrholm is especially impressive. Edith's pain moves between subtle vulnerability and sudden eruptions. Tim Roth provides a quieter counterpart, showing Lucas trying to move forward without pretending that he is unhurt. Their chemistry makes the encounter intense.
Nosbusch's restrained direction and Judith Kaufmann's intimate images keep attention on small gestures. The music supports the melancholy without becoming intrusive. The limited setting strengthens the claustrophobic emotional atmosphere.
Some dialogue feels overconstructed. Preserving the story's theatrical origins occasionally comes at the expense of a more natural exchange. That is a real limitation within a film so dependent on conversation.
For me, the performances and sensitive handling make the drama worthwhile despite it. Poison requires patience and an interest in emotional detail. It offers a demanding, affecting encounter with grief, guilt and the difficulty of understanding someone you once shared a life with.