Review of The Pianist (2002) by Luke S — 26 Jun 2012

Cripes, am I glad I gave this film a second chance (this time chronologically distanced from Brody's very well-deserved nonetheless shocking Oscar win for Best Actor). I want you to read this next statement two or three times to let this opinion sink in: It is a better film set during the Holocaust than 'Schindler's List' was.

A huge strength for this instant classic is Polanski's open-minded confidence in letting the horrific true story of Wladysaw Szpilman take precedence over wisely-alluded flashy editing, overbearing original score, or any other sort of typical cinematic distractions.

Polanski also earned his first Oscar with this film by making the absolute best of his locations, pacing, and fearless toying with polarization. The viewers are shown throughout the forced journey Szpilman's glimmers of luck with his connections and his chances to be near his labor of love as well as his abrupt tragic occurrences - like his unfair separation from his individualistic family and his jaundiced evidence of starvation.

We are mostly shown the inhumane effects of the Nazi regime from the hiding Szpilman's usual third story window perspective which succeeds in its honest feel and its helpless, hard-to-swallow intensity.

Brody had previously proved in Terrence Malick's 'The Thin Red Line' that he can play scared, but here the fortunately cast young actor proves to be capable of so much more - I don't know that he can ever top this performance.

'The Pianist' is proof of extensive homework and is obviously brutal with the violence while still respectful of each victim's demise. It is clearly one of the best films of the past decade.