Decent
Summary
Nuremberg features outstanding performances, terrific set design, and some clever, witty repartee. Too bad it’s too long and did not know when to end.
Plot: To prepare for the upcoming Nuremberg trials, American psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) is assigned to evaluate German High Command member Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe) to see if he’s fit to stand trial.
Review: As a bit of a buff on World War II, I immediately gravitate to movies like Nuremberg. Yes, I’m sure it’s been done to death – the Nuremberg trials have been the subject of other projects before, most notably the classic Judgment at Nuremberg. However, the cast is stellar, and I was particularly interested in how Russell Crowe pulled off the Hermann Göring character. So, to the theatre I went.
What I can say about this movie is that if you are unaware of what transpired at the Nuremberg trials, this movie will blow you away. I heard a few gasps in the audience when they played footage from the American soldiers as they liberated some of the camps – the images are haunting. Forget politics, at a human being level, I can’t understand how human beings could do what the Nazis did to the Jews. That is a level of evil that is beyond comprehension. The footage shown in the movie is brief, but still packs a wallop.
If you are familiar with the Nuremberg events, this film will still be interesting to you, but I feel it will pack less of a punch. Two narratives are at play throughout: the interpersonal relationship that develops between Göring and Kelley, and the struggle of the American prosecutor to navigate the political waters and implications before and during the trials. While the two narratives should interconnect, it doesn’t feel like they do until the end of the film. It leads me to wonder what I should be focusing on.
The performances are top-notch. I was leery of Crowe’s German accent, and it seems to come and go a fair amount, but his smarmy, charming performance is perfect. Malek gives a varied turn as Kelley, seemingly quiet and cunning, then frantic and intense. Michael Shannon gives a marvellous performance as the American prosecutor doing the right thing, even at the expense of his personal reputation. John Slattery is no-nonsense as usual, Richard E. Grant is extremely likable as the British prosecutor, and Colin Hanks is predictably slimy as Malek’s psychiatrist counterpart. Leo Woodall gives a star-making performance as the American army interpreter with a surprising secret. As you would expect in this sort of flick, the acting is the main calling card.
Another positive aspect was the high quality of the set design. Particularly impactful was the night rendezvous between Malek and Shannon in the abandoned ruins of what was to be the sports arena – you could almost imagine the ghost of Hitler giving fiery speeches from the podium. Nuremberg itself is haunting, looking bombed-out and ruined, a stark reminder of the intensity of the Allied attack. The costumes appear authentic, and Crowe exudes regality throughout in Göring’s military uniform. Brian Tyler’s score perfectly fits the movie, with an orchestral tempo that is melancholy and thoughtful. The artistry in this movie is above reproach.
Where the movie struggles is with pace. It is draggy at times, as the film tries to convince you that the Malek and Crowe characters are becoming friends. You know that’s not what is going to happen, though; the enormity of Göring’s crimes can’t be ignored, plus you know he’s playing Kelley throughout. The movie takes its time getting to the inevitable, though, which can be frustrating.
Then there’s the ending…or the multiple endings. I swear this movie ended about three times, but it kept going on and on, unnecessarily wrapping up storylines that felt secondary or where the ending didn’t matter. For the Howie Triest character, for example, what mattered was his telling his story and then seeing the Nazis brought to justice; to belabour it with him helping the one guy to the gallows, and then watching him hang, and then going for a cigarette, and then deciding to throw the cigarette away…it was just too much. A steadier hand in the editing room would have greatly benefited the film.
Do I recommend this film? If you’ve never seen anything with Nuremberg, yes. If you are a huge World War II buff and you just want to see great performances, yes. If you have a passing knowledge of what went on and you don’t want to spend 2.5 hours watching Rami Malek show magic tricks to Russell Crowe and rehashes on why what the Nazis did was bad, then watch Judgment at Nuremberg instead.