A striking Holocaust story

Rating: 8/10 (30 August 2014)

Roman Polanski can lay claim to having helmed one of the greatest films of all time with 1974's densely layered "Chinatown" but a Best Director Oscar eluded him until 2002's "The Pianist". It is the true story of a Jewish Polish pianist struggling to survive under Nazi rule in WWII-era Warsaw. The story has personal meaning for Polanski, who is himself a Holocaust survivor.
For those familiar with Polanski's work behind the camera it should come as no surprise that the film is impeccably directed. There is a real sense of 'living' this experience through covert glances out of windows and half-shut doors.
The Oscar-winning script may be leisurely paced but it does inject some action into the proceedings at opportune moments. The horrors of Nazi occupation are unflinchingly shown, making the movie not exactly pleasant to watch at times. However, despite this, the film is ultimately distinguished by its portrayals of courage, hope & compassion.
The acting is uniformly good with Adrian Brody warranting special attention for his performance, which deservedly won him a Best Actor Oscar. Notably, Brody also performed some of the piano pieces himself. I must add that whoever handled the more virtuosic material is also deserving of praise.
In the end, "The Pianist" successfully blends all of its components into a compelling tale of survival. The film's three Oscars and four additional nominations were each richly deserved. As I see it, this is the best movie of 2002 and, furthermore, worthy of comparison with the pinnacle of Holocaust films, "Schindler's List".