A Thought Provoking And Emotional Film About Art Restitution

Rating: 9/10 (9 July 2015)

Woman In Gold is a remarkable true story about an Austrian woman and her lawyer's journey towards reclaiming her family's painting.This thought provoking true story of art restitution stars Helen Mirren and Ryan Reynolds together with Tatiana Maslany,Daniel Brühl and Katie Holmes
The screenplay written by Alexi Kaye Campbell and film directed by Simon Curtis was based on the story of the Maria Altmann,the late elderly Jewish refugee living in Los Angeles.She together with her young lawyer,Randy Schoenberg spent many years in battling the Austrian government to reclaim renowned Gustav Klimt's painting of her aunt,Adele Block-Bauer I,which was stolen by the Nazis at their home during World War II.This happens to be the Austria's version of Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa ans was considered a national treasure.Her legal journey ultimately reached the Supreme Court Of The United States which decided in her favor to pursue the case against Austria.It concluded when Restitution Board in Austria favored Altmann to get her painting back. In addition to her legal journey,it also presents the viewer Altmann's personal journey from being a part of a rich family in Austria until she and her husband escaped to the United States to avoid persecution by the Nazis during World War II.
Despite the film's lack of energy,tension and surprises in telling a woman's fascinating legal and personal journey,the film somehow became a good one for many reasons.First,the performance of the cast especially of Mirren,Reynolds and Maslany were exemplary.Then,the legal journey that Altmann and Schoenberg took was definitely thought provoking especially when we get to see the intricacies they have to go through in order to move forward with every legal challenges they have to face.Evidently,the Austrian government exhausted all efforts to deny her getting her painting back and her young lawyer has to basically exhaust all efforts legally in order to help her.Finally,we also get to see a touching emotional battle that Maria has to go through in order to find resolution to the events of her life as flashback scenes unfold. Tatiana Maslany gave a credible performance as the young Maria Altman which overcame the confusion and haphazardness of the flashback scenes.These reasons are enough to make it entertaining and fine movie despite its drawbacks .