What to Watch: Timely ‘Nuremberg’ Buoyed by Russell Crowe Performance
This week’s reviews highlight a compelling World War II drama and an unexpected portrayal of a frequently overlooked American president.
“Nuremberg”: A Thoughtful Historical Drama
“Nuremberg” offers an old-fashioned style of storytelling that emphasizes a significant historical event while reminding viewers not to let history repeat itself. Though such an approach might seem outdated to some, the film creates a valuable space for intelligent, epic filmmaking that both entertains and warns.
Directed by James Vanderbilt, the World War II-era movie is inspired by Jack El-Hai’s book The Nazi and the Psychiatrist. It focuses on the tense exchanges between Army psychiatrist Lt. Douglas Kelley (played by Oscar winner Rami Malek) and Hermann Göring (Oscar winner Russell Crowe), Hitler’s slippery right-hand man.
“Nuremberg” concentrates on the interactions between confident Army psychiatrist Lt. Douglas Kelley and Hitler’s slithery-as-an-eel right-hand man Hermann Göring.
The narrative centers on Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson’s (Michael Shannon) strategic judicial move to assemble notorious Nazi leaders and put them on trial for the extermination of six million Jews during World War II.
Kelley, with strong Bay Area connections as former director of the San Francisco Psychopathic Hospital and later a UC Berkeley instructor and criminologist for the Berkeley Police, is assigned to evaluate whether Göring is mentally fit to stand trial, despite Göring’s vehement denials of knowledge about the genocide.
Additional Recommendations
- Surprising documentary Death By Lightning
- Boxing biopic Christy
These films complement the week’s focus on compelling biographies and dramatic historical events.
Author's Summary
“Nuremberg” skillfully combines gripping performances with a crucial reminder of history's harsh lessons, making it a timely and thought-provoking film.