Review of Woman in Gold (2015) by Thekiddy — 11 Jul 2015

I was aware of mixed (professional) reviews about this film. And while I adore Helen MIrren I never go to see a film only because she is in it. I did not know Tatiana Maslany was in it until yesterday, when I was watching it VOD.

I did know the subject matter and was interested in that from the beginning. Watching the film, I was often teary eyed. And I was reminded of how dreadfully people were treated by the Nazis in Austria.

The writing was strong enough; I was glad for the flashbacks; but watching, and thinking about it in retrospect, I have concerns about the casting. First, Ryan Reynolds was not the right actor for his role as the young lawyer.

He didn't look right, sound right, and he was not able to show the kind of passion or complexity that the role required or should have required. I felt almost that his part was written down to fit his limitations as an actor.

(In fact, the show felt underwritten overall.) Now, I will say something controversial, although as this little review will likely never be read, maybe not so much! I am active in supporting greater representation of non-white actors in film and television, and am sensitive especially to what the activists call 'white washing'.

This is where the role of a South Asian hero, for example, is played by a white actor for his presumed greater box office appeal. I get the realities of Hollywood. But on this one, I wonder about the grandson of a famous Austrian Jewish composer, Schoenberg, being played by Ryan Reynolds, to my knowledge not Jewish.

Other than movie star power, what did he bring to this film? He didn't even bring a back ground in synch with that of the character to draw upon. And he just isn't that strong an actor. Helen Mirren is Helen Mirren of course, but not Jewish.

Her experience does however encompass loss of country though, as her father was White Russian who because of the Russian Revolution became British. Tatian Maslany is apparently not of Jewish background but is of German-Austrian-Ukrainian background, her mother was an immigrant, and has fluent German.

(And was wonderful in the role.) But I keep wondering about the decision to cast Ryan Reynolds. Other than box office, there is nothing about him as an actor or a human being that seems to fit the character.