A deeply moving, cinematically audacious experience

Rating: 8/10 (29 December 2017)

Son of Saul blew me away in so many respects. This is quite an unusual film in so many ways, from the direction to the unique and successful way it delivers emotions. It tells a simple story, but anyone will realize how powerful it is by simply reading the synopsis.
The one thing that first struck me about this film is Géza Röhrig 's performance as Saul. Given that this story unfolds in Auschwitz and all the horrors that are being depicted, emotions are delivered in quite a subtle manner, on one hand picturing the main character as a man carrying heavy emotional baggage, and on the other showing some surprising inner strength, fostered by his newfound quest of morally surviving by burying the body of a dead boy.
László Nemes' direction is quite unique, as it consists of pretty close shots of the protagonist with everything surrounding him out of focus, leaving some of the horrors to the imagination at times, and creating a tense, hellish atmosphere in other scenes - always maintaining this emotional intimacy between the audience and Saul. Had Röhrig not been as stellar as he was, this could have been quite heavy - and borderline unwatchable. Honestly, this was quite a gamble - but the audacity paid off.
You will not hear any music throughout the entire film. Again, I felt like it added to the subtlety in the delivery of emotions, as it never dictates how the viewer should feel - leaving Saul as the only true vehicle of emotion. Instead, with everything but the protagonist out of focus, the sound (which is very well executed) complements the blurry background and brings it to life in all its chaos, tension and horror. You don't always clearly see what is happening around Saul, but you certainly hear and feel it with him.
The ending alone makes it worth watching the entire film. It is brilliant and it brought me to tears. Without giving anything away, let's just say that, throughout the film, the protagonist never gets the emotional relief of simply shedding tears. Again, emotions are delivered so subtly. But he does get one reaction that really stands out at one point, and it is one of the most truly moving, beautiful moments I've seen in a film. As I am writing these lines, I can still picture this cinematic moment and feel its power. Solid and haunting - in a beautiful way - ending.
Very highly recommended.