'They'll never admit to what they did, because if they admit to one thing, they'll have to admit to it all.'

Rating: 10/10 (18 July 2015)

'I have to do what I can to keep these memories alive, because people forget-especially the young.' Maria Altman. What a wonder of a film this is! Unfortunately it was released so early in the year that by the time the Academy Awards come 'round few will remember to place Helen Mirren's name on the list of Best Actress nominees.
Simon Curtis directs this near docudrama with a flair for genuine feeling, for art, for music, and for history. Written by Alexi Kaye Campbell and based on books and notes by both Maria Altman and E. Randol Schönberg the script rings true and while providing a fine story it also reminds us of the atrocities inflicted upon the world by Hitler's Third Reich.
The story is straight forward: the 80 year old Maria Altman (a radiant Dame Helen Mirren) engages a rookie young lawyer E. Randol Schönberg (finally an excellent acting role for Ryan Reynolds) who happens to be the grandson of the brilliant Austrian composer Arnold Schönberg to help her retrieve the painting 'Adele' (now simply known as 'Woman in Gold') – a Gustav Klimt painting belonging to her family and was stolen by the Nazis and is hanging in Austria's Belvedere. Randy is married (Katie Holmes) and has a child and another on the way and finally gets a new job with a law firm, so he is loathe to accompany Maria on a trip to Austria in an attempt to restitute the theft of her aunt Adele. When Randy learns of the value of the painting together with the other Klimt paints that belong to Maria he joins her (with making money in time). Through a well developed relationship between Maria and Randy and a very fine series of flashbacks to the time when the Nazi's were condemning Jews to death camps and stealing their property Randy and Maria ultimately triumph in what seems to be an impossible quest. In doing so Randy gains an appreciation for his background, his miraculous grandfather, and the realities of the Holocaust that is his heritage.
In addition to Mirren and Reynolds the cast is consistently excellent – especially Daniel Brühl, Tatiana Maslany, Max Irons, Charles Dance, Elizabeth McGovern, Jonathan Pryce, Allan Corduner, Moritz Bleibtreu and all the others. The film also sensitively includes a performance of Arnold Schönberg's string sextet Verklärte Nacht – another act of homage among the many this film makes to the Austrian Jews who escaped to America. It is an enriching experience, worthy of many awards. Grady Harp, July 15