Review of Hannah Arendt (2012) by Elizabeth M — 19 Aug 2014

A German-Jewish philosopher covers the Eichmann trial and garners fury for her reporting.

It's quite rare to highlight philosophers and their work because it's difficult to raise academic concerns to the level of high drama. This film succeeds because it's a smart film for smart people -- people who can understand Arendt's concept of the "banality of evil." But it doesn't fully commit to its trust in the audience. While we get to see elements of the Eichmann trial from newsreel footage, we don't get inside the process of Arendt's observations. What about Eichmann led her to re-form how we think about morality and evil? Where does she see it, and how can the film show us her evidence?

The performances are all strong in a steely-eyed, hyper-intellectual way but without much vulnerability from any of the characters.

Overall, this is a strong, intelligent film.