I resisted watching this film, but I was wrong

Rating: 9/10 (10 January 2010)

I'm not a fan of holocaust films and I suspected this was one. But in fact this is more en exploration of the reality of having to make your way through a war. And though the young male lead (David Kross)is especially flawless, Kate Winslet is even more luminous and unforgettable. For me, Ms. Winslet epitomizes what an actress should be far more boldly than, say, Meryl Streep. She seems to crave exploring other persona to the point she can authentically speak for them. What's more, there's something oddly disarming about the way she so easily goes nude in many of her movies. She might as well be chiding the rest of us for our utter lack of courage.
I would fault this film with being a little long on its intimate scenes for my taste though I'm not sure it would work otherwise. But this film for me is head and shoulders above others I've seen covering the same subject matter. It makes you think more clearly about what it must have meant to be a Nazi, working for the camps, and though I can imagine there will be people who think this is some kind of apologia for those who worked in the death camps, I would argue this merely highlights their own lack of compassion.
Ralph Fiennes role is a difficult one and I'm not sure he fully conquers it, but he certainly isn't very far from making it real. Try to imagine what could have been done to make his performance better. I can't think of a single thing.