Review of The Pianist (2002) by Xgary X — 14 Aug 2012
Roman Polanski directs the harrowing story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish pianist and Jew who survived the horrors of the holocaust in WWII. Adrian Brody' performance is the centrepiece as it is a very personal journey as you watch with despair and revulsion as Polish jews are stripped of their livelihoods, their rights and their dignity by a brutally oppressive regime.
It's unusual in that rather telling the story of a man involved in a war, it's more of a spectator's point of view; in fact the later scenes in which Brody is entirely alone, disheveled and scavenging for food in a decimated wasteland feel a little sterile.
The absence of human interaction means it lacks the emotional impact of something like Schindler's List, but it is a shocking and horrifying tale, made all the more so when you consider that Szpilman was actually one of the "lucky" ones.
This review of The Pianist (2002) was written by Xgary X on 14 Aug 2012.
The Pianist has generally received very positive reviews.
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