The American Friend (1977)
Audiences like it.
The FilmyChill Score combines audience ratings and critics' reception, and updates twice a day. No studio or platform can pay for a score. How the score works
The American Friend is streaming in Germany on Amazon Arthaus Channel, Arthaus+ Apple TV channel, Arthaus+.
What the audience says
The American Friend holds up as a perfectly decent German film, if not a remarkable one. It carries a 7.1/10 on TMDB across 461 ratings — comfortably clear of the pack.
Should you spend 2h 5m on it?
2h 5m of German drama with thriller threaded through. Standard length — a normal evening's watch, nothing to plan around.
- Why
- 7.1/10 from 461 ratings — well received so far, on a modest sample.
- Skip if
- you want plot momentum over character work
- Best for
- An ordinary evening in
Story
Tom Ripley, an American who deals in forged art, is slighted at an auction in Hamburg by picture framer Jonathan Zimmerman. When Ripley is asked by gangster Raoul Minot to kill a rival, he suggests Zimmerman, and the two, exploiting Zimmerman's terminal illness, coerce him into being a hitman.
Good to know
| Runtime | 2h 5m |
| Watch with family? | 16 · Older kids & up |
| Genre | Drama / Thriller |
| Language | German |
| Best screen | Stream at home |
Director
Wim Wenders
Cast
Where to watch in Germany
Included with a subscription — no extra charge on these platforms.
Availability as of 29 Sept 2026 — platforms may change over time.
More: All Amazon Arthaus Channel titles in Germany
Trailer
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