Review of Good (2008) by Marc G — 06 Oct 2010
There is a good story somewhere in this mired murk of a film; but the director just couldn't handle the complexity of the story. Viggo Mortensen (The Road, The Lord of the Rings, Eastern Promises) plays a German intellectual university professor who has written a book many years before on euthanasia.
As the Nazi party comes into power, his book has been passed among the noble elite of the organization and he is "courted" to become a party member (the dilemma is that he won't get a promotion at work [or anywhere] if he isn't a member of the national party).
With grandiose ambition(s)/motivation(s) promoted by his new, young wife (Jodie Whittaker -- who was fantastic in Venus opposite Peter O'Toole but is simply standard here), he thinks he can do GOOD for the party and signs up .
.. even though his best friend is a Jew (played by Jason Isaacs -- Father Malfoy in the Harry Potter films). He reasons it away as "just because I am one of them doesn't mean I agree with them.
" This is a tale about morality and could be rather relevant; but the movie is such a jumbled mess at times that it comes across as shoddy and just not very good. It is pretty WWII-lite as we see very little of what happens once everything starts going downhill for anybody not of the Aryan race.
Good isn't good ... nor is much in it good. Is this man good, or does he just think he is -- because there is a monumental difference?
This review of Good (2008) was written by Marc G on 06 Oct 2010.
Good has generally received mixed reviews.
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