A tough watch, but so powerful

Rating: 9/10 (6 May 2020)

POSITIVES:
1) Brody is so deserving of his Oscar for this gripping performance
2) The genius of the film is how it shows not only the cruelty of the Germans, but also the cruelty of the Polish and fellow Jews towards each other to try and survive
3) The cinematography is excellent; lots of long takes and beautiful shots, particularly of snow and of the ruins of Poland
NEGATIVES:
1) The film is such a tough watch that it is difficult to imagine wanting to rewatch it
2) There are no subtitles until right near the end so when they appear it feels abrupt and jarring
3) Apart from about 30 seconds near the end it is obvious that Brody isn't actually playing the piano himself and this took me out of the film
4) I'd have liked to have found out what happened to Brody's family