The Pianist

2002- Roman Polanski

Thomas Kretschmann, Adrien Brody, Emelia Fox, Ed Stoppard
The Pianist tells the haunting and tragic true story of the wonderful Jewish pianist, Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody). He is loved by many and loves nothing more than to play the piano on Polish radio. Warsaw is changing. Jews are no longer allowed the privaledges of others. A stroll around the park is forbidden. We see Wladyslaw and his family struggling to survive against the sheer brutality of the German forces. After witnessing his whole family being carted of in a train bound for a concentration camp, Wladyslaw is on the run and must trust in a few good people to ensure his survival.

The film is gritty and raw..and the stone cold fact that it actually happened never strays far from your mind.
The cinematography is beautiful and the image of a war torn, burning Warsaw will always stay with me.

Adrien Brody is spellbounding as Szpielman and the scene where he is playing the piano for the German officer Hosenfeld...well there really are no words. You have to see and hear it for yourself.

Thomas Kretschmann is fantastic as the one good nazi among a whole bunch of bad ones. Is it bad that he plays a German officer so well? (Think of Der Untergang/Downfall)






10/10


(It does contain some very harrowing scenes however, just be prepared)