Remember (I) (2015) User Reviews

A trip of remembrance and redemption

[quincytheodore · 7/10 · 21 February 2016]

In a striking similarity to Memento, a forgetful man wanders around with one goal of finding the men from his past. This is not the ordinary thriller as it's significantly slower with a peculiar lead character, yet it's surprisingly just as effective as any high octane action . The journey is not a happy one, and it builds audience's expectation in clever way that when the goal is reached, none of the outcomes seems to be pleasant.

Zev (Christopher Plummer) is an old man with dementia. After the death of his wife, his friend hands him a letter containing a mission to find the men from Auschwitz. Christopher Plummer is truly exceptional, he displays the courage as though his character is a secret agent despite deep down he's plagued with terror and uncertainty. His often meek demeanor is sympathetic to watch, but at the same time one can invest in his endeavor and motive.

The visual and audio are designed to create suspense even in trivial moments. Its main focus is a man with dementia, and little things might rattle him, so any bump in the trip proves to be challenging. Acting from the rest of cast is commendable. Characters would most likely help Zev, yet there's an unsettling feeling that their reactions can be antagonistic, especially since Zev is not particularly suave with words.

It plays with the awkward situation really well with the solemn music and view of scenery that feels darker even though it never literally becomes that way. On the other hand, this could also hamper the pace. This is far from action thriller, more investment is made towards the drama instead of gun-slinging action.

Zev's adventure is a bizarre and slow one, it's an ironic tale of both kindness and cruelty of others. Unsettling yet charming in its somber steps.

Solid drama-thriller

[Seth_Rogue_One · 7/10 · 15 July 2016]

A drama-thriller about a 80+ year old man with dementia who set out to avenge his dead family, killed by a nazi in Auswitz whom he finds out is also living in America. And goes on a road-trip to find him and bring him some cold and long-earned justice.

Christoffer Plummer plays the role very well and in a world of entertainment where the expiry-date for lead-roles is at a young age for many it is rather refreshing to see a man of his age (85 when it was being filmed) lead a drama-thriller like this.

The smaller roles are also played well, Dean Norris stands out in a memorable performance.

I'm not gonna go into too much details but it's well worth seeing and deserves more viewers for sure.

Plummer and Landau shine

[ferguson-6 · 7/10 · 31 March 2016]

Greetings again from the darkness. Earlier this year, 81 year old Maggie Smith impressed with her lead role in The Lady in the Van. And now, just a few weeks later, comes 86 year old Christopher Plummer in a gut-wrenching performance as Zev Guttman, a 90 year old German grieving widower suffering from dementia. Don't let that description fool you … Zev goes on a cross-continent road trip with a mission of seeking justice against the Auschwitz guard who killed his family more than 70 years ago.

Zev lives in a nursing home and often can't remember to wear shoes, much less that his beloved wife Ruth has passed away. It turns out another resident/patient at the home shares a history at Auschwitz with him. Wheelchair-bound Max (Martin Landau) says the two men are the last surviving members of their cell block, and must work together to find the guard – now living under the assumed name of Rudy Kurlander – and find justice for their families. So we find ourselves with a coalition of sympathetic senior citizen Nazi hunters.

Given the war atrocities, it makes sense that over the years, many movies have placed Nazi hunting as a core theme. Among the most well known are: The Odessa File (1974), Marathon Man (1976), The Boys from Brazil (1978), Inglourious Bastards (2009), and The Debt (2010). But leave it to director Atom Egoyan (Ararat, Where the Truth Lies) to find a different spin and a twist on a familiar theme. At times, Zev's dementia distracts us from his vengeful mission, while at various other times, the innocence of children acts as a dual reminder – the fragility of old age vs. the eye-for-eye brutality.

It's Landau's Max who acts as a type of narrative structure for the story. His sharp and focused plan is written out in letter form so that Zev can constantly refer and be reminded of his purpose. The letter also provides us viewers with the necessary back-story to fully comprehend the what's and why's. Each time Zev re-reads the letter, he re-experiences the loss of his wife – yet another of the film's reminders of the effects of dementia.

Zev's search takes him from Ohio to Canada to Idaho to Lake Tahoe. He goes through four Rudy Kurlanders – with Bruno Ganz (Downfall, 2004) and Jurgen Prochnow (Das Boot (1981) representing two. There is also a very uncomfortable sequence involving Dean Norris ("Breaking Bad") which reminds that hatred is often passed down through generations.

The nursing home "getaway" and the purchase of a gun have us thinking Zev is some type of senior citizen Jason Bourne – sharing the lack of memory, but none of the skills. The title of "Remember" has many meanings and interpretations here, not the least of which is as a display of loss, guilt, revenge, family and old age. Even the most poignant moment of the film occurs when Zev says "I remember".

Far from what I expected.

[Info-241-562323 · 9/10 · 26 February 2016]

I began watching Remember with no great expectations; I thought I'd watch the first 20 minutes or so, and if it seemed promising, I'd come back to it at a later time perhaps.

You will already be aware of the plot/story-line from other reviews etc...; but for those who have not yet seen it, it has a beautiful way of drawing you in somehow. Beautifully written, yet powerful; I found I was becoming so immersed in the movie that there would be no 'coming back to it later'.

Casting and acting are excellent all-round, in what turned out to be perhaps one of the best films I've seen over the past 18 months or so.

There's very little else I can say regarding the film other than 'watch it'... it's excellent.

9/10

A Film to Remember

[richard-1967 · 10/10 · 29 February 2016]

There have been a lot of movies about the Holocaust in the last couple of years, some very good. But none have had the suspenseful screenplay of Remember. This movie is one of the best efforts from director Atom Egoyan since he showed such promise with The Sweet Hereafter in the late 1990s. Perhaps the secret here was his using someone else's screenplay rather than his own.

Excellently acted (when is Christopher Plummer not excellent?), staged, and filmed, and edited down to a taut 95 minutes, this film succeeds not "merely" as a Holocaust reminder but as a self-contained thriller: an engrossing and ultimately thoroughly satisfying piece of cinema.

Wow, it astounded me

[Gordon-11 · 4 August 2016]

This film tells the story of a holocaust survivor who now has dementia and lives in a nursing home in the USA. With the encouragement from another holocaust survivor, he sets out on a trip to hunt down their tormentors.

I expected "Remember" to be touching, but I have not expected it to be so completely powerful. It tells the sad life of an old man struggling with basic daily life because of his dementia. Then, it tells a heart wrenching story of revenge seeking. It is already a captivating story, but the story only gets better. The ending is something of a shock which leaves me literally paralysed with emotions. It leaves my brain frantically feeling the emotions of the various characters in the film, especially Zeb's and the other guy in the nursing home. The story astounds me, leaves me with tingles in my head for many minutes after the film ends. I'm made speechless by the intensity of the story. And the even more amazing thing is that the story is very believable, to the point that it could happen to anyone of the elderly generation.

I think "Remember" is a must see for everyone. Make time to find it and watch it!

Solid film from Egoyan

[zetes · 7/10 · 29 May 2016]

Atom Egoyan may never reach the heights of Exotica or The Sweet Hereafter again, but he's definitely made some solid films since then. Here's another one. I don't even remember hearing about it when it came out (late last year in Canada and March in the US), but it's a pretty good little revenge thriller. Think Memento but with a very old Holocaust survivor out looking for long hidden Nazis. Christopher Plummer plays Zev, who is spurred on by fellow Holocaust survivor and roommate Martin Landau to search for and kill a rumored Auschwitz worker. 90 years old, Plummer has lost a lot of his memory, but Landau remembers and guides him. Dean Norris also co-stars as the son of that possible Nazi. It's a small thriller (obviously not super thrilling given the ages of those involved), but it's good with a fine central performance. Definitely worth a look.

A Journey Of The Mind

[Siebert_Tenseven · 9/10 · 21 February 2016]

Atom Egoyan in fine form directing a fascinating story of revenge and identity loss. Christopher Plummer plays the main character with the sense of consistent and strong characterization that he has done so well for over forty years. This is definitely one of his more convincing roles, and since the focus is on his character the entire time, he truly had to carry this picture along. He does so with complete conviction and confidence.

What makes the story so interesting and keeps it moving are the separate stops on the journey of the main character. In each place he visits there are additional members of the supporting cast introduced, each of whom add a uniqueness and individuality to the scenes that play out. Dean Norris certainly plays an intensely well suited and memorable role. Egoyan keeps up his trademark use of strange and unusual locations, and any fan of the director will not be disappointed.

There is a great twist in this story, one of the better ones I've seen in a while. Some good advice would be to not read any of the spoilers, although the description of how the plot changes would take up several paragraphs. You're better off watching the movie and enjoying Mychael Danna's brilliant soundtrack as an added bonus.

Remember

[henry8-3 · 6/10 · 16 October 2019]

Dementia sufferer Plummer fulfils his promise to his friend Landau to seek out the Nazi from Auschwitz who killed both their families.

Very much a case of the total not being the sum of its parts. Everyone in this, particular Plummer and Landau give impressive performances and some of the scenes (eg Plummer meeting one of the suspect's son) are extremely troubling and quite tense. Worth watching to be sure, although looking back, the tale itself is a real stretch and frankly hard to swallow, particularly the end.

Want a real action thriller? Remember!

[lokilfa · 9/10 · 11 August 2016]

Remember is indeed an exceptionally good solid movie, I have to thank IMDb reviewers for pointing it out, I could have easily missed this one, cerebral thrillers are sometimes difficult to watch for me and most often than not satisfaction for the viewer is scarce.

In a society that is constantly becoming older, elder citizens are becoming more and more a part of our social experience and (hopefully) old age will be a much greater part of our own lifetime in the future. Unfortunately memory loss and mental faculties degeneration is a growing threat directly to us or indirectly through our loved ones. Since it's not "cool" this pressing theme is often ignored in movies. Remember makes the best out of it in a surprisingly immersive movie.

The protagonist will fight increasingly daunting external threats and difficulties in his hunt for the enemy/nemesis that has become the unique and last purpose of his life. But that's only half of the story, the hero's physical flaws and internal struggle with his own dysfunctional brain is a whole added yet perfectly merged battleground in which he has to fight his own self.

Depicting such an epic struggle in an immersive storytelling is a massive victory for the script and the actors, no shortcuts taken there, everyone delivers and the protagonist gives a top performance. Photography and music constantly enhance the story but thanks to a superb directing and competent production all the factors involved are smoothly united towards an almost perfect product.

A Film With so Much Potential that Only Delivers a Twist

[svikasha · 7/10 · 29 May 2017]

The two most remarkable things about "Remember", the 2015 German- Canadian thriller starring Christopher Plummer as an elderly concentration camp survivor set on revenge, are the story's premise and Plummer's acting. Plummer deserves praise for his skillful portrayal of the role of Zev Gutman, a dementia patient who is manipulated into seeking revenge for the alleged murder of his loved ones at Auschwitz. Revenge in this case means murdering a ruthless former Blockführer named Otto Wallisch who apparently escaped to the United States after World War 2 by stealing a Holocaust victim's identity.

"Remember" has an interesting premise with such great potential. The movie tells the story of an elderly man who struggles with memory loss but only remembers his need for revenge as a concentration camp survivor. Although "Remember" is primarily a thriller, there is plenty of golden irony and dark humor buried amidst all of the drama of the story. During one particularly morose scene, Gutman gets into a verbal and eventually a physical scuffle with the son of a Nazi who expressed his ardent support for Hitler's lost cause. The ensuing fight that follows itself is rife with dark humor.

But it subliminally raises an important ethical question. Is it right to punish former Nazi's who have spent more time as ex-Nazi's than Nazi's? What about current supporters of the Nazi ideology who are far removed from the carnage of World War 2? At what point do such actions deserve to be forgiven rather than remembered and punished? Perhaps it depends on the individual. Unfortunately, the answers to these important questions are left for the audience to decide. The story progresses and eventually Gutman finds his target.

This is the biggest problem with "Remember" given the inherent potential of the movie's premise to produce a film that was as profound as it was thrilling. Although Remember tells a compelling story and loosely touches on broader topics like aging and war crimes, any members of the audience looking for deeper meaning will surely be left disappointed. But the film is still worth a watch.

The director of "Remember", Atom Egoyan is known for favoring twists as a tool to retroactively tell the story. This film is no exception. Although the film barely touches on the complex topics that it could have addressed, the film does entertain by ending with an unforeseen twist that changes the very nature of how one understands the film.

Tension builds in a well-told tale

[jack-78597 · 9/10 · 6 November 2015]

I'd caution people to not read any of these reviews that contain spoilers, because they will rob you of a captivating movie experience. This is one movie, believe me, where you do not want to know how it comes out until the movie itself has a chance to tell its tale, much Like "Crying Game" some years ago. I cannot understand people who do this, self-appointed film "experts" who have decided that you do not deserve to let the movie speak for itself. They're like people who blab about surprise parties, or who say "Now watch this!" loudly in a theater. This movie is as well-written and directed as anything you're likely to see this year, and to know too much beforehand robs you of a rare cinematic experience.

A Film To Remember

[uderbentoglu · 7/10 · 13 October 2016]

I think this movie is one of the notable movies of 2015. As a movie that reminds Memento time to time, it has a very successful story line. Although the story flows slowly sometimes, it achieves to stay audience awake and ensures that they wonder movie's end. As watched this movie, you absolutely interiorise Zev character. But a good plot twist is waiting for you at the end. Christopher Plummer did a good job as a leading role in the movie. In my opinion other actors and actresses are above average. I didn't have many expectations about movie, but when I watching, the story of Zev had begun to arouse my curiosity. Don't be prejudiced about actors are mostly old. This is a movie that watch with relish.

collective frustration makes for bad movies

[davep06 · 5/10 · 19 June 2016]

And bad judgment about movies. The best part of the movie is how it moves along as the main character Zev searches for a Nazi fugitive. Plummer does a wonderful job in this role, and the director does a fine job of maintaining suspense. I ding this movie mainly for the ending. The ending took me by surprise, in a positive way, but then at second thought, I reacted, as everyone ought to, "Wait a minute, we've just been scammed." I am guessing that a deep-seated desire for justice compelled director, actors, viewers and reviewers to suspend their ability to think clearly about this plot. Ugh. Too bad. There were a number of endings that would not have been absurd and that would have made this film a candidate for Oscar-dom.

A wonder

[russa_07 · 9/10 · 5 March 2016]

I didn't have many expectations when I started watching the movie. I am particularly interested in WWII movies, and I have watched many movies that deal with the Nazi period. However, this one goes beyond that typical movie. We get to know a man with dementia trying to avenge the death of his family. We start off an interesting idea. The hour went by quickly, as we go into the depth of this revenge. However, it is the ending that takes it all. It left me speechless and at the same time, left me thinking, reflecting on every character and situation. If you're in doubt whether to watch it or not, let me advise you: watch it, you won't regret it. However, be ready to explore some deep thoughts afterward.

Excellent, Excellent Movie

[view_and_review · 9/10 · 5 February 2017]

Usually, when I'm perusing unfamiliar titles to watch I stick strictly to the horror genre or a specific vein of the Sci-Fi genre. For whatever reason I can better stomach the poor movies of those genres. I almost feel like it's a duty to sniff them out and expose them if they exist. As for other genres; they must be good movies. I don't have the patience to sit through them if they're not. So, deciding to watch Remember was well outside of my element. I watched solely based upon the IMDb rating. I didn't even read the synopsis or the reviews--the rating was terrific so I watched.

I'm glad I made that decision.

The movie is akin to Memento in that the main character, Zev (Christopher Plummer), has dementia and he can't remember things yet he goes out on a quest to find the murderer of his family. It was almost sad at times watching this nonagenarian stumble about from place to place looking for the Nazi soldier responsible for killing his family in Auschwitz. It had my attention as it was because I was highly interested in knowing just what he would do once he found the 90-something-year-old Nazi. The ending will not disappoint you.

This movie was very cleverly written and directed. Christopher Plummer did a fantastic job as a slow-witted aged hospital patient. Just the way the entire package was put together was tremendous. This was an excellent, excellent movie.

Phenomenal

[searchanddestroy-1 · 23 March 2016]

I was wonderfully surprised by this masterpiece, a totally outstanding film which, on one scene in particular, reminded me THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL, remember, the Franklyn J Schaffner's movie starring Laurence Olivier as the Nazi hunter and Gregory Peck as the Nazi Mengele. Laurence Olivier character was at home with his German shepherd and Mengele - Peck - entered the house to kill the hunter. Then the dog attacked Mengele. So, here, you have a sort of cousin sequence, where the "Nazi' dog attacks the Jew...I guess this was a sort of tribute to the Schaffner's film. Besides, I wonder who would not like such a film, despite some unbelievable things; such as this one when Plummer's character uses his credit card. How the hell can he remember this code number if he has memory problems? Or, how could he get out of the senior hospital in the first place? The director Egoyan or the screen writer could have imagined a scene where Plummer could have spied the nurse dialing the code number for the exit door. But except those minor details, don't worry, it's absolutely a must see film. The best among the best for such a scheme. And choosing Jurgen Prochnow or Bruno Ganz in such former Nazi characters is not accidental; remember their respective performances in DAS BOOT and THE FALL. SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS POILERS And we realize only at the end that the evil guy is the main character, and the good one, only a pale supporting dude. All long the movie, we have felt empathy for the wrong man, whilst in usual schemes, we follow the good lead actor from beginning to the end. I love this kind of reverse and unusual scheme. I don't know if you get what I exactly mean.

Extremely good performance by Plummer

[elect_michael · 7/10 · 14 February 2021]

Christopher Plummer stars alongside Martin Landau in this extremely good film. Landau puts in a good and subdued performance which is just what his part needed, and he delivers. Christopher Plummer puts in an extremely good performance playing his character with Dementia to near perfection. The ending of the film is incredible in its story and is certainly helped in its set-up to that point in the film by the acting of Plummer and the direction of the film in general. There is an absolutely incredible scene near the middle of the film with Plummer & Dean Norris that is a masterful piece of performance & directing that will make film historians want to rewind and re-watch the scene, the scene is that good. It's almost hard to believe that Plummer was 85 years old when this extremely good film was released, and Plummer could somehow magically act better than most actors between the bottom of his chin to the tip of his nose; but of course we get to see his entire face. This film works so well in part because the cast is full of good actors that can perform with Plummer and the Director certainly was focused and envisioned.

An Honest Review

[generationofswine · 10/10 · 22 August 2018]

Holy Cow....seriously.

I try to be unbiased but...this movie was just four shades of awesome. There is NOTHING that you can pick apart with it.

The acting....Oscar worthy. The directing...Oscar worthy. The writing...Oscar worthy.

If you are going to make a complaint about anything, it might be the score, but even then the piano scenes make up for that and that was all Plummer.

It was engrossing. It was vivid. It was oddly heartwarming and oddly comical in parts and that just worked to add realism to a film that dealt with some horrible and depressing themes...mass murder and dementia...with enough humor and heart to humanize it...which only adds to a sense of realism that makes it even more disturbingly vivid.

And the twist at the end is just worth it, just keep on your toes, the hints to that twist are subtle, but there to be found.

I don't think I've seen a movie this great in a very long time.

some problems but Plummer masterful

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 9 May 2016]

Zev Guttman (Christopher Plummer) suffers from dementia and memory problems. His wife Ruth died a week before. He walks out of the nursing home on a mission to hunt down Auschwitz Blockführer Otto Wallisch who is hiding under the name Rudy Kurlander. His son Charles (Henry Czerny) tries to track him down. Zev is helped by his wheelchair-bound partner Max Rosenbaum (Martin Landau) from the nursing home. They are both Auschwitz survivors who lost their families. There are 4 recorded Rudy Kurlanders who emigrated after the war. After two wrong Rudys, Zev finds the son of the third Rudy, John Kurlander (Dean Norris), who is a neo-Nazi.

It's a little slow going in the first half. It could be something else especially with Plummer acting the hell out of this. I thought it could be a misunderstanding or an illusion of his destroyed mind. I would have preferred a delusional quest. The first two Rudys are problematic for me because anyone sneaking into the country with false identity would have false proof to back him up. The movie gets much better with the arrival of Dean Norris. I would extend his part of the movie and eliminate the first two Rudys. Some may be uncomfortable with the use of Auschwitz as a device for a mystery thriller. I don't dismiss that complaint especially for people with personal connections. There are no doubt some problems with this but there are also intriguing sections.

The best movie of 2015

[crazyvets · 10/10 · 27 February 2016]

I pretty much got this movie randomly without really knowing what it was going to be, most movies i just watch in the background while working on my laptop. others i just stop after 10-20 minutes because they are too bad.

This movie somehow draws you in, the plot is exceptional and although the "hero" is a very old man it turns into a real thriller at times.

Actors are brilliant and the twist at the end was just the perfect end to a masterful movie.

I can't believe this movie hasn't make more waves, it is truly the best movie of 2015 in my opinion.

Demento

[MogwaiMovieReviews · 6/10 · 15 July 2016]

As soon as I heard the premise of this film I knew the ending, so I am surprised at how so many - all, in fact - of the reviewers here somehow didn't see it coming.

Essentially, it's a geriatric take on the great Christopher Nolan film Memento with added dementia - 'Demento', if you will - that is very nicely acted but unfortunately I don't think there really was any possible way to make this particular story hang together in a believable manner. Also the politics are too childishly simplistic - annoyingly so - for one to come away with any rewarding sense of depth or meaning, of anything new being added to the same stale old wartime propaganda tropes of the past 70 years, and the pace too slow and unnecessarily drawn out to satisfy.

Amazing

[wescottluke · 10/10 · 27 February 2016]

WW2 really sticks out in my mind. As far as I'm concerned that was the world gone mad. Hard to tell if we've progressed these days though, but I still don't know anyone personally today that would conform to that kind of madness.

This film explores so many different perspectives in such an interesting way, it's hard not to be overwhelmed with emotion that extends in every direction.

It's a truly amazing story, acted out brilliantly by the two seasoned lead actors, with a surprisingly suspenseful pace that keeps you hooked.

Congratulations to everyone involved and a special tip of the hat to Christopher Plummer, this is a masterpiece.

The acting of Mr. Plummer was absolutely brilliant.

[peterp-450-298716 · 7/10 · 11 August 2017]

"Yes, I must finish. I must. After all, this is the man who killed our families."

"Remember" is a movie you should know as little as possible about before watching it. So I'm not going to tell too much. This drama, which gradually turns into a thriller, shows how the 86-year-old Jewish man Zev (Christopher Plummer) is searching throughout America and Canada for a former Nazi officer who was a blockführer in Auschwitz. Zev's friend Max Rosenbaum (Martin Landau), who's staying in the same rest-house, discovered with the use of old documents that certain SS officers escaped by stealing the identity of killed Jews. Zev is being sent to seek a certain Rudy Kurlander and kill him. And this as a revenge because he's responsible for the death of Zev's and Max's family. Unfortunately, Zev has to be reminded of this because he's in an advanced stage of the dementing illness Alzheimer.

The film thus shows mostly Zev searching for this person. Armed with a Glock and a handwritten letter from Max, he pays a visit to every Rudy Kurlander who's currently living in the U.S. And Canada. The letter is his guide because every time he awakes, he has no idea where he is and why he's there. He even forgets about the death of his wife Ruth. Hence the note with a pen on his arm to remind him to read the letter over and over again. "Remember" is captivating. "Remember" is thrilling. But "Remember" is also a moving movie. A film about people who have to deal with a trauma. How they need to carry an intense sadness. And the deeply rooted feelings of revenge. And I must say that the denouement is one that will stay in your mind for a long time. The only thing I could say was "No way!". It's been a long time since I couldn't predict the ending of a movie. It took me by surprise this time. Trust me, you'll remember the end forever.

Needless to say that Christopher Plummer's acting was sublime. A scarred, elderly person who tries to do the job faultless as assigned to him. Zev isn't only scarred by his past, but also by the present because of the loss of someone dear and a memory-consuming disease. The desperation and helplessness Plummer displays is lifelike at times. The encounter with John Kurlander (Dean Norris who's the spitting image of Jack Nicholson) is a masterful scene with an excellent acting Plummer. You feel pity for Zev who suffers a moment of outright fear. After this scene the movie changes from a diligent search into a ruthless thriller.

Despite his age, this star still knows to touch a nerve. More than when he played the well-known Captain von Trapp in "The sound of Music". A movie that makes me sick to my stomach as if I ate a poorly baked Wiener Schnitzel. The film is always shown on television around Christmas and New Years eve. Probably to worsen the hangover. Still find it strange I didn't recognize him immediately. The last time I saw Plummer was in "The Forger". But that part wasn't so memorable. Here the staggering and surprising end will leave a lasting impression. An absolute recommended movie.

More reviews here : http://bit.ly/2qtGQoc

Revenge Fantasy Hobbles Down A Well-Trodden Path

[timosphere · 3/10 · 16 March 2016]

If not for the chops of the actors involved in this film, we would be left with nothing more than the modern sensitive-arts version of "Death Wish". That being said, revealing the fundamental plot line at the end of the film might seem clever to twenty-somethings who are currently "Feeling the Bern", but it does little to satisfy the mature mind beyond causing one to hiccup and say "Hmmm. Isn't that a 'I so want to think I'm giddily deft' twist on the part of the writer." If only Hollywood focused as much on what is important in our culture now as they do tripping over themselves in a nostalgic search for justice to the cause celeb of the week, studios would not be worried about going bankrupt. Hipsters in the major cities may enjoy this fodder, but the rest of the country has neither the time, inclination, nor the patience for adding another coat of paint to such respectfully well worn (and better told) subject matter. Save your time and money and see Schindler's List again. There is no comparison.