Review of The Counterfeiters (2007) by Jay C — 04 Sep 2009
A powerful and unrelenting perspective on the holocaust following the "Operation Bernhard" counterfeiting scheme devised by the Nazi regime. Jewish inmates of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp are selected for their forgery skills and are forced to created fake British Pound and U.
S. Dollar notes. The film presents an interesting examination of the psychology behind aiding one's own oppressors. Do you make a stand for the principles of your own people, or do you do whatever it takes to survive no matter how morally bankrupt the act may seem? The films performances carry the emotional weight of these events to the very end, and the pacing never lets up, giving us the unmistakable impression of being left emotionally floored.
Unfortunately the pacing is also a bit jarring in that establishing initial connections with the lead performance from Karl Markovics as the forgery expert is somewhat difficult. Thankfully the harsh reality of the concentration camp does away with that minor shortcoming.
This review of The Counterfeiters (2007) was written by Jay C on 04 Sep 2009.
The Counterfeiters has generally received very positive reviews.
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