Starring: Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Ciaran Hindz, Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, Sam Worthington, Jesper Christensen and more...
Directed by: John Madden Screenplay by: Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, Peter Straughan Based on the film "Ha-Hov" by: Assaf Bernstein and Ido Rosenblun Original Music by: Thomas Newman
Premise: Three Mossad agents have carried a secret and lived a lie for over thirty years. Now there's a chance the lie will be exposed.
Review: When I saw the previews for this one, and the name, I made an assumption or two based on what was shown. Unfortunately, my assumption was pretty much bogus. While an interesting film, I think the extra layer I thought they were going to do, but didn't, would have pumped it up a bit, but what can you do? :P
Moving from 1965-66 to 1997 and back again, the story slowly unfolds as we first get to see the lie and then the truth of what actually happened in the teams hunt for Dr Dieter Vogel for crimes against Jews during the war.
Superb acting from everyone involved and the locations were all authentic, with the filming done in Budapest, Tel Aviv and the UK. A lot of the important parts, however, actually happen in an old dilapidated flat in East Berlin. Jesper Christensen really sold it as being both empathic and totally calculating as Dr Vogel.
The characters are interesting and complex and it was fascinating seeing how the 1997 dynamics came to be back in 1966. The three go from a tight well trained unit to barely keeping it together. Despite the lie, I think Rachel was beyond brave in the past and the present. To sit there and be examined by the man they were hunting to get confirmation - brrrrrr.
Watching fate intervene with their best laid plans was fascinating. As well as the reasons they did what they did, when they find themselves in a position they can do nothing about.
A simmering film and sleepy thriller with some large moral questions. I was sold on the ending but hubby was not. Did wish we'd seen a more concrete answer on one point at the end and some of the fallout, but it's left up to us.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Hubby's rating: Better for Matinee)
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