Powerful film *Contains Spoiler*

Rating: 8/10 (7 May 2013)

This is a film that I had been meaning to watch for quite some time, but have only recently got around to it. Potential viewers should be aware that this film is quite harrowing, and is difficult to watch, as indeed any realistic portrayal of this bleak time for humanity will necessarily be.
A very normal and vibrant Jewish family are initially relatively nonplussed by the advance of the Germans into Poland. This is a powerful way to setup what is to come, and allows the viewer the unique chance to remember that this is likely how it actually was. This family had no way of knowing the true horror of what was coming their way, and the opening scenes get this across effectively with an interesting and diverse range of personalities portrayed in a normal family.
As the narrative progresses we see the family initially remain strong in testing circumstances, and they slowly begin to break as the creeping inhumanity of their surroundings and circumstances takes its toll.
The first 90 minutes of this film are a powerful reminder of the lead up to the Holocaust itself and how Jews were systematically de-humanised by the Nazis. The remainder of the film follows the pianist in his attempts to survive the remains of the Nazi occupation.
This film doesn't have the emotional hook of Schindler's List despite tackling similar subject matter - although there is a similar Schindler moment towards the end. However, it is difficult to find fault. It is a gritty, depressing and effectively claustrophobic story of a man who managed to survive where few others did. It touches on a variety of themes, such as the question of Jewish resistance and the extent to which such a thing was even possible. It always seems to be obvious to the retrospective observer that resistance had to happen, but we regularly forget that these people did not see what was coming. It is an interesting theme that is touched upon throughout, but I won't comment further as my knowledge of the subject is too limited to comment with any authority.
The screenplay, script and acting are superb throughout, and this is a film that any student of history must watch. It is not however to be recommended to someone looking for an evening's light entertainment.