A Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (20 February 2012)

A true masterpiece of a film, and Adrien Brody is the master actor such as I've never seen before. Until now I'd only seen him in the odd mafia flick, but in this he was sublime. All the actors gave amazing portrayals, but for me Brody stands out perhaps because of the extremes he was required to go to in this role. I'm not sure if Brody is a piano player, if he's not, then he may be the best actor I've ever seen. The viewer becomes invested in the characters of this film, but Brody is our guide through it all, and his character is the most developed of them all in this film. Others were scant where they could have been more full, maybe. The production quality, the settings, dismal depressing & terrifying scenes, all seemed nearly too real, one can easily lose themselves in this movie, immersing so fully it is nearly a shock when the ending comes & one is thrust back into the modern time and body. I had no idea this movie existed until today, nearly 10 years after its release. I watched it on a lark, not expecting anything of this level certainly. Once it began, I was lost to it through the last piano note.