A Powerful and Brilliant Piece of Filmmaking

Rating: 9/10 (22 December 2012)

The Pianist, the true story of the pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman who must face the horrors and hardships of the Holocaust, is a powerful and emotional film. Roman Polanski, an already accomplished and renowned director, brings a whole new realism to the events of the Holocaust and makes the viewer feel as if they are actually witnessing these horrible events.
The movie begins with Szpilman playing the piano for a Warsaw radio station, amid the sounds of destruction in the background. The beautiful sounds of the piano against the sounds of horror and bloodshed creates a powerful contrast throughout the film, and injects more emotion into the events portrayed. The movie continues, with Szpilman and his family having to face monetary troubles, and then eventually being forced to move into the Warsaw ghetto. Within the ghetto the Polish Jews face terrible hardships, and are treated in a horrible way. One of the first examples of this terrible treatment is when several Polish Jews are forced to dance for the entertainment of the Nazi soldiers.
As the movie continues, the level of emotion continues to get stronger. One of the most saddening and powerful moments of the film occurs when an old man is thrown out of the window of his house by Nazi soldiers, and in turn is ran over by their car. It is horrible that events such as these occurred, and they are shown in violent detail.
The acting in this film is superb, as each actor portrays their role perfectly, and they make you feel for their characters. Adrien Brody, as Spzilman himself, features in all but two scenes of the film, and owns his role perfectly; this is Brody's film. It is hard enough a task to be on screen for must of a film, but to keep the viewer captivated, even in moments such as when Szpilman is searching for food, is an honorable achievement in itself. Brody fully deserved his Oscar, as his performance is both captivating and memorable.
Overall, The Pianist is a great achievement of filmmaking, as it is captivating, powerful, and important to watch. If you have not yet seen this film, I would advise that you do as soon as possible, as it is not one to miss.
Rating:
9/10