A rare masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (7 August 2004)

Even though it was way before my time, the hellish crimes and atrocities of the holocaust has always sickened and affected me very deeply. The war-torn realism and sheer horror re-created under the direction of Roman Polanski shook me to the core. I cried several times during the film, and it was difficult to make it though the end of the movie. I can easily understand now, why Polanski received an Academy award for best director, and Adrian Brody for Best Actor. The role of Wladyslaw Szpilman would've taxed and challenged the talents of any elite male actor in Hollywood, and yet Adrien Brody accomplished the task better than anyone I can imagine. He translated the character's hopes, loves, and especially his horror and despair in such a genuine fashion, that it's amazing that it comes from a 20-something year old actor. Makes me wonder how & where he was able to draw those intense emotions to make it seem so real. Anyway, this is a film that I think every person should see at least one time, for any number of reasons.