Review of Apt Pupil (1998) by David A — 07 May 2010

(from The Watermark, 11/12/98).

In this often intense psychological thriller, high school senior Renfro becomes obsessed with the Holocaust. He meets McKellan, and recognizes him as one of Hitler's sidekicks who has been hiding in America for 50 years. He threatens to turn the old man in unless McKellan tells him all of the "stories" about the human destruction for which he was single-handedly responsible. Renfro's daydreams and nightmares become more and more haunted by McKellan's gruesome recollections. McKellan eventually turns the tables on Renfro until the two are caught up in a match of wits that leads to lies, murder, and death.

The film possesses many strengths that make it quite absorbing in spite of a few missteps in the writing. Based on a Stephen King novella, the adaptation beautifully builds up the dysfunctional relationship of the two men, and gives us many well-timed twists. What it is missing is the plot's catalyst: Why does Renfro, a non-Jewish straight-A student, become so consumed by the Holocaust? And what is driving him to do the horrible things he does to blackmail McKellan? The film clearly asserts that the evil of one person can perpetuate itself in another, but Renfro's motivations are never clear. He does give a strong and genuine performance in spite of the script, while McKellan's Oscar-level turn as the unrepentant Nazi is perfect to a T. Director Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects) uses great visual composition, his pace is dead-on, and his juxtapositions in certain sequences are the best to be found on the big screen. QUEER QUOTIENT: Openly gay McKellan is certainly not the only homosexual overtone to be found in the film. As Renfro is more and more consumed with the tales of the Holocaust, he is unable to perform sexually, and his girlfriend questions if he is gay. When McKellan and he are at complete odds with each other, Renfro says, "Don't fuck with me." McKellan replies, "Now we are fucking each other." And finally, a small but important bit role is that of a gay homeless man. Very interesting touches, and none of them necessarily negative. Nice job, Mr. Singer.