Crucial film, so history does not repeat.

Rating: 7/10 (5 April 2015)

WOMAN IN GOLD Ultimately, WOMAN IN GOLD is a film about the struggle of the little man against an overwhelming, ruling power. It is the antithesis of the adage "you can't fight city hall". These stories always play well with viewers, and WOMAN IN GOLD should not prove the exception to the rule. It is, after all, a story which needs to remain in our psyche, especially in times like these when an incompetent president and his administration and lackeys seem intent on history repeating.
THE WOMAN IN GOLD is the story of Maria Altmann, played by Helen Mirren. She was a member of a prestigious family in Austria, before the invasion of the Nazis. Her home and family were destroyed and valuable art treasures stolen from their home. Now, as Austria recognizes its compliance in history with the Nazi movement, the government opts to hear cases for restitution for those WWII victims. Altmann wants her family's paintings returned, especially one of her aunt, with whom she shared a special friendship. Like most governments, however, Austria is not willing to release the paintings, claiming they are now the country's property and part of its historic culture. Faced with the prospect of challenging an entire government, coupled with museum curators and corrupt politicians, Altmann enlists the aide of her friend's son, Randol Schoenberg, played by Ryan Reynolds.
It's quite easy to mock and jeer at Reynolds. Movie-goers hold him responsible for THE GREEN LANTERN, a better than average superhero film that somehow captured the ridicule of comic geeks. The same group is already condemning his turn as Deadpool in an upcoming X-Men adventure. Reynolds is suffering the same fate Matthew McConaughey and Ben Affleck suffered years back. Now, both are holding Oscars and McConaughey is driving a Lincoln and being parodied by Jim Carrey.
Reynolds is fine in this film. He plays well off of Mirren. The story is, in essence, a tale of his coming of age in relation to his heritage. Like many Millennials, Schoenberg thinks the world began with his birthday. It takes a trip to Austria for him to discover the importance and significance of his birthright.
WOMAN IN GOLD drags at times, making it seem longer than its actual length. Some scenes are repetitious. Surprisingly, others are stilted. This occurs due to remedial dialogue, penned by Alexi Kaye Campbell. Luckily, Reynolds and Mirren are quality actors and able to salvage the scenes.
The past six years produced a paradigm shift in culturally accepted indignation. As the Obama Regime consistently turns its back on Israel and promotes anti-Semitism, Holocaust themed tomes are deemed trivial; an obsession by those forever living in the past. Meanwhile, films on slavery and black oppression are elevated to royal status, with private screenings in the White House mandated. America's first black president, second if you believe Bill Clinton, made race relations prominent and the Holocaust insignificant. Look at the films released in the last six years as evidence.
Still, at a time when several Middle East countries and militias are stating their mission to eradicate Israel from the globe and further seek the destruction of America, for it is in their eyes, the Great Satan, the lessons of the Holocaust must not be forgotten. Films like WOMAN IN GOLD should help keep the memories alive. History is repeating itself. Muslim leaders are spewing the same rhetoric as Hitler once did, and our current leadership is all too willing to support them. It is akin to Roosevelt and Churchill siding with the Nazis.
WOMAN IN GOLD could have more of an impact, with better seamless transitions between segments and stronger scripting; however, the film is salvaged by the power of its stars and their ability to elevate mediocre material. The film is crucial to see for a reminder of what happened in the past and the ability to have the jurisprudence not to let it happen again today.