At one point in the film I could not get the image of Harvey Weinstein sitting in the editing room with his scissors licking his lips and planning his Oscar campaign.Outside of the performances, this film really did nothing for me.
It was nicely shot, with nice music, but it all felt far too generic.
The idea of a film focusing on German guilt about the holocaust is very interesting one, however if you are looking for a in depth look at that guilt, you won't find it here.
Instead you are served up with a flimsy excuse for the most unthinkable behavior of people, not matter how well sold by powerfully restrained performances.
What saves this film is the performances of Winslet and German actor David Cross. Cross nails his performance. The youthful idealism, the heartbreak of relationships and the confusion of a shocking revelation about the only person you have loved, all play amazingly across his face.
As for Winslet, well she hardly ever does any wrong. She has a difficult task of playing a woman who has done unthinkable things. She never plays the part for sympathy or sentimentality which works wonders for the film. She deserves her place in the Best Actress line up.
However, when Leno Olin (In a smart and wonderfully restrained, dual performance) says near the end of the film: "Go to the theater if you want catharsis," I had to think to myself "not this theater".
Grade: C+
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