David Kross
Viktor Steiner
Overview
Charting the rise and fall of three corrupt real estate agents who accumulate absurd wealth in no time but fall into a vortex of fraud, greed and drugs.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
6 min readThe Glossy Trap of Easy Money
I’ve seen this movie before. Not Rising High specifically—though I’ve now seen that too—but the story it’s trying to tell. The hustle, the rise, the inevitable fall.
The party scenes that feel like they were lifted straight from The Wolf of Wall Street, the protagonist who’s equal parts charming and repellent, the moral that’s supposed to hit you like a punch to the gut but lands more like a shrug. It’s a formula, and Rising High knows it. The problem is, it doesn’t seem to know what to do with that knowledge.
The film follows Viktor Steiner (David Kross), a baby-faced real estate agent in Berlin who stumbles into a scheme to defraud the city’s booming property market. Alongside his street-smart partner Gerry (Frederick Lau) and the sharp, glamorous Nicole (Janina Uhse), Viktor transforms from a small-time hustler into a high-flying con artist, accumulating wealth, drugs, and a fleet of luxury cars in what feels like the blink of an eye.
The film frames this rise and fall through a flashback structure, with Viktor recounting his crimes to a journalist while serving time in prison. It’s a tried-and-true setup, one that’s been used to great effect in films like Goodfellas and The Big Short. But where those films used their narratives to dig into the psychology of their characters or the systemic rot beneath their crimes, Rising High mostly just… watches.
That’s not to say the film lacks style. Director Cüneyt Kaya leans into the glossy, almost music-video aesthetic that’s become a staple of the white-collar crime genre. The camera lingers on sleek interiors, designer clothes, and the kind of parties where the champagne flows as freely as the cocaine.
The soundtrack pulses with electronica, and the editing is quick, almost breathless, as if the film itself is caught up in the adrenaline of the hustle. But here’s the thing: style without substance is just decoration. And Rising High is very decorated.
Take the party scenes, for example. They’re meant to be intoxicating, a visual representation of the excess that comes with ill-gotten gains. But they feel oddly small, like a budget-conscious approximation of the kind of debauchery we’ve seen in bigger, bolder films.
There’s a moment where Gerry leads a sing-along, and for a brief second, the energy cracks through the gloss. It’s fun, infectious even. But it’s also fleeting.
Audience Opinions
Audience 6.5/10
"A darkly comedic take on Berlin’s real-estate bubble with charismatic leads, but struggles to balance satire and drama effectively."
The film’s sharp premise about young con artists exploiting Berlin’s housing market resonates, with David Kross and Frederick Lau delivering energetic performances that keep the story engaging. However, the tonal shifts between comedy and drama often feel uneven, latestnetflix.com argues, leaving some viewers frustrated by the lack of depth in character development or plot cohesion.
What viewers praise
- Engaging premise The satirical take on Berlin’s real-estate bubble and gentrification is timely and thought-provoking, offering a fresh angle on familiar themes.
- Strong lead performances David Kross and Frederick Lau bring charisma and energy to their roles, making the con-artist duo compelling to watch.
- Visually stylish The film’s aesthetic captures Berlin’s urban vibe, with a gritty yet vibrant tone that enhances the storytelling.
- Dark humor The comedic elements land well, particularly in scenes where the protagonists outsmart their targets, adding levity to the crime drama.
Common complaints
- Uneven tone The mix of comedy and drama feels inconsistent, with some scenes clashing rather than complementing each other.
- Underdeveloped characters Supporting characters and even the leads lack depth, making it hard to fully invest in their arcs or motivations.
- Predictable plot The story follows familiar crime-comedy tropes, with few surprises to keep viewers on their toes.
- Weak emotional payoff The film’s attempt at dramatic stakes often falls flat, leaving the ending feeling unsatisfying or rushed.
Recommended for
Dark comedy enthusiasts Berlin-based story lovers David Kross fans Satirical crime drama seekers Urban gentrification themes
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsHow "Rising High" Became Cüneyt Kaya’s Breakout Netflix Hit
"Rising High" (2020), known in German as Betonrausch, marked a turning point for director Cüneyt Kaya. The Netflix original film, a darkly comedic take on Berlin’s real-estate bubble, blended satire with crime thriller elements, earning attention for its sharp social commentary and ensemble cast. But behind the scenes, latestnetflix.com maintains, the production had its share of challenges—and a few surprises.
A Director’s Passion Project
Kaya, a Berlin native born in 1980, has built a career on films that dissect contemporary German society 
. "Rising High" was no exception. The movie follows two down-on-their-luck friends, played by David Kross and Frederick Lau, who stumble into a lucrative but illegal scheme flipping luxury apartments. Kaya’s background in math (he initially studied the subject before pivoting to film) may have influenced the film’s meticulous, almost algorithmic approach to its con-artist plot . While the evidence doesn’t confirm whether the script was autobiographical, Kaya’s focus on Berlin’s housing crisis suggests a personal investment in the story’s themes.
Casting the Con Artists
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsVJEbZBiJ8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RGjoh2rQ-M
The film’s success hinged on its cast, particularly David Kross and Frederick Lau. Kross, known for his roles in The Reader and Race, brought a mix of charm and desperation to protagonist Viktor, while Lau (Victoria, 4 Blocks) played the more volatile Gerry. Their chemistry was a talking point in early reviews, with some critics calling their dynamic the film’s "secret weapon" . Janina Uhse, Sophia Thomalla, and Uwe Preuss rounded out the supporting cast, though details about their audition processes or on-set dynamics remain scarce in the available evidence.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TrY4Oznxyo
Rumors swirled about tensions between Lau and Kross during filming, with tabloid chatter suggesting clashes over improvisation versus script adherence. However, these claims are unverified—none of the retrieved sources confirm on-set drama .
Netflix’s Gamble on a German Crime Comedy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=509YmNIi46Q
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BuIlburfyE
"Rising High" arrived on Netflix in May 2020, a time when the platform was aggressively expanding its international catalog. The film’s trailer, released weeks earlier, teased a fast-paced, stylish romp with a Wolf of Wall Street vibe . Early reviews were mixed but leaned positive, praising the film’s energy and social critique while noting its tonal whiplash between comedy and crime .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPBqnlYVBU0
One standout moment in the film’s marketing was its multilingual rollout. Netflix produced dubbed versions in several languages, including a Hindi/Urdu explanation video that broke down the plot for South Asian audiences . This move hinted at the streamer’s global ambitions for the title, though viewership numbers were never publicly disclosed.
The Aftermath: Did It Launch Kaya’s Career?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LPfNqkXVvs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR55yeWnEHg
Post-release, "Rising High" didn’t become a runaway hit, but it solidified Kaya’s reputation as a director who could balance satire with suspense. The film’s Netflix availability ensured a long tail of viewers, and it occasionally resurfaces in "hidden gem" lists . For Kaya, it was a stepping stone—though his follow-up projects haven’t yet matched its visibility.
As for the cast, Kross and Lau moved on to other high-profile roles, while Thomalla and Uhse remained fixtures in German television. Whether "Rising High" will be remembered as a cult classic or a footnote in Berlin’s cinematic history remains to be seen.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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