Lamb kofte with saffron yogurt and sauerkraut – a daring combination: In the Bremen “Tatort” the stomach contents of the dead man put the investigators on the trail

The atmosphere is tense within the Bremen team: Detective Liv Moormann (Jasna Fritzi Bauer) is frustrated because she has been denied a long-overdue visit to her sister in prison. Her colleague Linda Selb (Luise Wolfram) shows little understanding. She's bothered by a case that didn't end as planned. Instead of a drug dealer who circulated a deadly substance, his girlfriend is now in jail instead.

A body washed up on the Weser River shore in the morning provides the necessary distraction. However, the discovery immediately creates new resentment. The dead man's identity is unclear. No papers, no cell phone, no fingerprints. "Crime scene unknown, victim unknown," Moormann says, grimacing. Her mood isn't lifted by such a vague situation.

At least we know it's a man in his early thirties, with a pretty badly injured face. Forensic pathologist Bingley (Helen Schneider) sheds some light on the mystery when she examines the stomach contents: lamb kofte with saffron yogurt and sauerkraut, a daring combination that's only available in the Hanseatic city at the snack bar right next to the infamous Dark Club.

The detectives are slowly making progress on the case. The dead man, Marek Kolschak (Jonathan Berlin), worked as an investigative journalist who was pursuing the same drug dealer as Selb. Coincidence is a strange coincidence. And that's not all: Kolschak was a reporter by profession – and a stalker in private. Soon, his ex-girlfriend Rani Ewers (Via Jikeli) is suspected of murder.

The single mother had long been overwhelmed by the situation and confronted Kolschak, but she didn't want to go to the police. She and her young daughter have always been cared for by a caring nurse (Sarina Radomski), with whom she has shared an apartment for years.

Ewer's story is given considerable space in "Solange du atmest" (Director: Franziska Margarete Hoenisch, Screenplay: Judith Westermann). However, the focus on her paranoia from the very beginning proves to be particularly difficult. It is difficult to weave the various storylines into a crime plot that generates suspense.

The Bremen duo can investigate as doggedly as they like, driven by their desire to finally solve the intricate case – and by their own personal anger. When Moormann learns that Selb has been talking to her sister behind her back, the tone among her colleagues becomes more tense. One sharp remark follows the next. Sensitivity and consideration: a given.

The real problem, however, lies not with the investigators, but with the strained intertwining of the subplots and the credibility of the story. This Bremen crime scene constantly oscillates between crime, psychological, and social drama. But it lacks the thrill.

There's too much talking, unnecessary explanations, puzzling, and bickering. Some of the acting performances also have a strangely improvised, amateurish quality. This creates an additional restlessness in the ensemble that does little to enhance the arduous proceedings.

Not to mention the abrupt twist at the end, which only comes with a certain amount of goodwill. The idea that, once again, the person you least expect is the most dangerous seems as overworked as the case itself.

"Tatort" from Bremen: "As long as you breathe." Sunday, 8:05 / 8:15 p.m., SRF 1 / ARD.