What Is Revanche About?
The premise of Revanche in 276 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the shadowed streets of Vienna, Alex carries the weight of a past behind bars while trying to stitch together a quieter life. His days are spent in the dim corridors of a brothel, where the world moves in whispered transactions and unsteady smiles. It is there he meets Tamara, a Ukrainian woman whose own resilience hides a fragile longing for something beyond survival. Their tentative connection sparks a fragile hope that perhaps a new beginning is within reach, even as the city’s undercurrent of unease presses ever closer.
Beyond the urban bustle, a quieter world unfolds on the outskirts of a modest farm, where Robert patrols the surrounding fields and grapples with the monotony and moral weight of rural law enforcement. His marriage to Susanne is tinged with quiet desperation, marked by unspoken wishes and the strain of unfulfilled dreams. Nearby, the aging Hausner tends to his land, embodying a stoic attachment to a life that has weathered many seasons. The lives of these strangers begin to brush against one another, each drawn by a mixture of chance and concealed intent, setting the stage for a delicate tension that hovers like a low‑tuned string.
The film settles into a moody, atmospheric rhythm, where the stark beauty of the Austrian countryside contrasts with the gritty, neon‑lit corridors of the city. Themes of vengeance and redemption ripple beneath every interaction, inviting the audience to consider how far individuals will go to rewrite their stories. As each character navigates their own shadows, the story whispers of unexpected alliances, hidden motives, and the fragile line between survival and surrender, leaving a lingering sense of both danger and fragile hope.
What Happens in Revanche?
The complete story of Revanche, from the first scene to the last, in 447 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
Alex, an ex-con living in Vienna, works as muscle at a brothel and soon starts a tense, hopeful romance with Tamara, a Ukrainian prostitute who also works there. He sketches a plan to rob a bank in a small village, then slip away with his grandfather Hausner, who lives nearby on a rural farm, before starting a new life with Tamara. Ambitiously, he invites Tamara to join him on the robbery, despite her anxious and clingy nature, and the two push forward with the risky scheme.
Outside the bank, they collide with a local policeman named Robert, and tragedy strikes when Tamara is accidentally killed as Robert fires at their fleeing vehicle. A dejected Alex narrowly escapes and follows through on his plan to hide at Hausner’s farm, believing the worst is behind him. Meanwhile, Robert’s relationship with his wife Susanne is already strained—she struggles with infertility, and his growing guilt over the shooting weighs heavily on their marriage. The couple happens to be neighbors to Hausner, and Susanne remains friendly with him, which brings her into contact with Alex during visits.
As Alex lurks in the shadows of the farm life, Susanne inadvertently learns that her husband was the shooter. Heartened by his guilt but haunted by it, Alex begins stalking Robert with a loaded gun, sensing a chance to even the score in his own way. An impulsive Susanne, seemingly oblivious to the danger, propositions Alex during a visit to the farm, and the two embark on an affair. Robert endures a panic attack at work and is put on suspension, eventually opening up to Susanne about his own remorse and self-loathing over the past violence.
The tension between the men thickens as Alex confronts Robert in the woods, speaking in veiled terms about the shooting. Robert concedes his regret but also rebukes the robber for bringing Tamara along, noting the added danger and chaos. After Robert leaves, Alex discards his gun in a pond, signaling a personal decision to move away from violent retaliation. As Hausner’s health declines, Alex resolves to remain at the farm to help manage and preserve it, tying his fate more firmly to the land and its aging caretaker.
In a surprising turn, Susanne becomes pregnant through her affair with Alex, claiming the child as Robert’s to keep face with him and their social circle. She visits Alex again, intent on ending their liaison, and recognizes a photo of Tamara, which confirms Alex’s identity as the robber. Faced with this revelation, Alex agrees to keep their secret and to refrain from harming Robert any further, choosing to stay on the farm and continue his work there as his new reality.
Revanche Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Alex, ex-convict in Vienna, starts with Tamara” to “Alex keeps secret and returns to farm life”. 14 events name a place, across 8 locations.
- 1
Alex, ex-convict in Vienna, starts with Tamara
Alex, an ex-convict living in Vienna, works as muscle at a local brothel. He begins a relationship with Tamara, a Ukrainian prostitute who works there. They hatch a plan to rob a nearby bank and disappear together to start a new life.
Where:Vienna, Austria
- 2
Plotting a bank heist and an escape to Hausner's farm
Alex and Tamara lay out a plan to rob a bank in a small village near Hausner's farm. He invites Tamara to join him, despite her anxiety, to share the risk. The plan is to flee to Hausner's farm after the heist and then leave for a new life.
Where:Small village near Hausner's farm
- 3
Bank robbery and Tamara's death outside the bank
They approach the bank and encounter a local policeman named Robert outside. During the escape, Tamara is shot and killed when Robert fires at their fleeing car. An anguished Alex escapes and retreats to Hausner's farmland as planned.
Where:Outside the village bank
- 4
Alex hides at Hausner's farm as Tamara dies
With Tamara dead, Alex goes into hiding at Hausner's farm as his plan dictates. Hausner's health begins to fail during this time, adding tension. Alex contemplates staying to look after the property and the old man.
Where:Hausner's farm
- 5
Robert and Susanne's troubled marriage
Robert's marriage to Susanne is strained by infertility and unresolved guilt over the shooting. Susanne remains close to Hausner's family as a neighbor and friend, and the pressure worsens their relationship. The emotional tension creeps through their circle.
Where:Hausner's neighborhood and nearby home
- 6
Susanne visits the farm; Alex learns the shooter, begins stalking
Susanne visits the farm, forming a fragile friendship with Hausner's household. Through conversations, Alex realizes Susanne's husband was the bank shooter, Robert. This realization drives Alex to begin stalking Robert with a loaded gun.
Where:Hausner's farm
- 7
Susanne propositions; affair begins
During a visit to the farm, Susanne propositions Alex and they begin an affair. The secret relationship flourishes amid guilt and fear. Robert remains unaware at first, heightening the tension in their lives.
Where:Hausner's farm
- 8
Robert's panic attack and suspension
Robert suffers a panic attack at work and is put on suspension. He opens up to Susanne about his guilt and self-loathing over the shooting. The affair between Alex and Susanne further complicates the situation.
Where:Robert's police work
- 9
Confrontation in the woods; veiled questions
Alex confronts Robert in the woods, asking about the shooting in veiled terms. Robert admits his regret but also chastises the robber for bringing Tamara along. After the exchange, Alex leaves, and the tension between them lingers.
Where:Woods near Hausner's farm
- 10
Alex discards his gun in the pond
After the confrontation, Alex quietly throws his gun into the pond, signaling a withdrawal from violence. He returns to life on the farm, reassessing his plans for the future. The disposal marks a turning point in their feud.
Where:Pond by the farm
Show the other 4 events of Revanche Hide the last 4 events
- 11
Hausner's health deteriorates; Alex stays to care for the farm
Hausner's health deteriorates, and Alex resolves to stay at the farm and look after it in his stead. He shifts from a temporary helper to a caretaker of the property and the old man. The decision locks him into life on the countryside despite their past turmoil.
Where:Hausner's farm
- 12
Susanne becomes pregnant by Alex
Susanne becomes pregnant, claiming the child is Robert's. In truth the baby is fathered by Alex, even as the story implies Robert's paternity. The revelation underscores the tangled web of love, guilt, and deception around the farm.
Where:Hausner's farm
- 13
Susanne discovers Tamara's photo; realizes Alex was robber
Susanne visits Alex to end their affair and recognizes a photo of Tamara, realizing Alex was the bank robber. The realization reshapes her understanding of the past and her relationship with both men. The truth sets the stage for continued secrecy and quiet consequences.
Where:Hausner's farm
- 14
Alex keeps secret and returns to farm life
Alex agrees to keep their tryst a secret and vows not to harm Robert further. He returns to his work on the farm and stays, at least for now, in Hausner's care. The chapter closes with an uneasy, unresolved future.
Where:Hausner's farm
Who Are the Main Characters in Revanche?
5 characters, among them Alex, Tamara and Robert: who each one is and the part they play in the story.
- A
Alex
An ex-convict who works as muscle at a Vienna brothel. He orchestrates a bank robbery to start a new life with Tamara, and his actions are driven by a mix of desperation and loyalty to his grandfather. He is capable of cold calculation, yet his choices reveal a deeply conflicted desire for redemption.
- 🎭 Character arc
- 🔎 Crime
- 🧭 Loyalty
- T
Tamara
A Ukrainian prostitute at the brothel who becomes entangled with Alex. She is anxious and clingy, joins the heist, and dies during the escape, becoming a catalyst for the subsequent guilt and paranoia. Her presence exposes the vulnerability of victims in the film's moral landscape.
- 💔 Vulnerability
- 🎭 Tragedy
- 💃 Prostitution
- R
Robert
A police officer whose shooting of the fleeing car haunts him and strains his marriage. He wrestles with guilt and self-loathing, trying to maintain control while his past actions catch up with him. His steely veneer cracks under the weight of what he did and what it means for his family.
- ⚖️ Guilt
- 🧭 Duty
- 🧱 Pressure
- S
Susanne
Robert's wife, whose infertility strains their marriage. She has an affair with Alex and becomes pregnant, later passing the child off as Robert's. Her actions complicate loyalties and power dynamics, showing how vulnerability can drive dangerous decisions.
- 💔 Affair
- 🍼 Deception
- 🧭 Secrets
- H
Hausner
Alex's grandfather who owns the farm. As his health declines, Alex chooses to stay and look after the farm, making the act of care a quiet form of redemption. The farm serves as a grounding point amid crime, guilt, and shifting relationships.
- 🏡 Family
- 🌿 Rural Life
- 🛖 Responsibility
Where and When Is Revanche Set?
Revanche is set in Vienna, Hausner's farm and a small countryside village. Here is why the place matters to the story.
Where
Vienna, Hausner's farm, a small countryside village
The action begins in Vienna, a bustling city that contrasts with the quiet countryside. The pursuit then moves to a small village where a bank robbery unfolds and to Hausner's farm, a rural refuge that anchors the story. The settings shift between urban vice and rural isolation, underscoring the film's themes of crime, loyalty, and consequence.
- 🌆 Urban Vienna
- 🌄 Rural village
- 🏠 Farm setting
What Are the Themes of Revanche?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Guilt, Forbidden Love and Secrecy.
-
01
Guilt
Guilt permeates the narrative as characters confront the consequences of violence. Robert grapples with remorse for the shooting and its ripple effects on his life and marriage. Alex's uneasy reactions to the aftermath reveal how crime stains his chances at starting anew. Tamara's death becomes the moral hinge that darkens all futures connected to the act.
-
02
Forbidden Love
A hunter of a relationship emerges as Alex and Tamara develop a fragile bond that is both practical and emotionally loaded. Susanne's affair with Alex intensifies the sense of betrayal and blurred loyalties within two couples. The pregnancy deception compounds the emotional stakes, turning intimate acts into a political move. The film uses romance to reveal desperation and moral compromise.
-
03
Secrecy
Secrets drive the plot and complicate trust among the characters. Alex withholds his true intent from Tamara and Susanne, while Susanne hides the truth about her pregnancy. Robert keeps the gun and guilt hidden as he tries to maintain a facade of normalcy. The revelation at the end reconfigures relationships and reveals how much is concealed beneath ordinary life.
What Kind of Film Is Revanche?
Dark in tone, with variable pacing and a complex story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Variable
- Story
- Complex
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bittersweet
A gritty and morally complex thriller that simmers with tension and melancholy, exploring themes of vengeance and redemption through desperate characters connected by a tragic event.
- gritty
- suspenseful
- melancholic
- oppressive
- desperate
- quiet
- revenge
- redemption
- crime consequences
- moral ambiguity
Content notes: fatal shooting, prostitution, extramarital affair.
Quiz
How well do you remember Revanche? Test yourself on the story.
Where to Watch Revanche
Rent or buy it from Amazon Video. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
Rent or buy 1
Streaming availability in the US, powered by 
