Benutzerrezensionen

Ben Kingsley plays 'The General', a War Criminal in some unstated country hiding from those who would prosecute him for his crimes.

His only normal human contact is that of his 'maid' (Hera Hilmar) - an, initially, reluctant participant in the relationship.

Kingsley plays his part with equal indifference and suppressed savagery - though no explicit details are given of his 'atrocities' - you become quickly convinced that this is a creature capable of committing them.

Hilmars' portrayal of a person bound by circumstance is equally ambivalent. Initially repulsed by The General, a tenuous connection rears it's head.

There's very little in the way of 'action' during the entire film - this is not a film about actions, but about the consequences.

Watching he interplay between 'The General' and 'The Maid' is both fascinating and morbid - like watching a car crash in slow motion.

I heartily recommend this film for fans of Kingsley - but if you're expecting an action packed, explosion driven extravaganza of the more modern genre, you'll be disappointed. Hera Hilmar too, plays her part with a subtlety that shows the depth of her acting experience.

A former general (Ben Kingsley) is wanted by the international community for war crimes. He is being protected by his supporters. He gets moved again and gets new maid Tanja (Hera Hilmar). He is suspicious of the young maid who isn't good at cleaning or cooking.

This is following the wrong protagonist. Sure, Kingsley is the biggest actor here or most anywhere. That instinct only goes so far. He should not be the subject of the movie. Nobody cares if he lives or dies or captured. There is no tension without the rooting interest. Any possible rooting interest resides with Tanja. She should be the protagonist. The mystery of her intentions can be maintain and the reveal would actually mean something. The audience should be invested with her instead of him. The ending should have been shocking but it's met with a shrug and a meh. The idea of making this monster human could be compelling but it needs the context of the war. Without it, nobody can truly get a feel for him.

This movie got everything you need - a good and unique story, good acting and a pro production. If you want action An Ordinary Man will bore you, if you want to watch something substantial with "real-life" characters living in strange and unusual but very realistic circumstances (a war criminal hiding from international authorities after the civil war in former Yugoslavia), this one may be a good one for you.

Have seen this excellent film with a 1st Class performance by both Ben Kingsley and the maid Hera Hilmar, kudos to both!

An American drama thriller; A story about an infamous war criminal living in one of the states of the former Yugoslavia who spends his life on the run from international authoritiesand discovered by a young woman whom he makes his new maid. An artistic choice was made to have the characters speak in their native accents, and in particular for Kingsley to produce a North Lancashire/West Yorkshire English accent which allowed expression to come freely. But, despite a riveting performance from Kingsley the script is a let down. It struggles to find a groove and remain plausible and no number of surprises in the plot changed that. Motivating an audience to understand a genocidal person bound by circumstance is troublesome if the audience gains no real insight into the character's feeling.

Fall of communism in former Yugoslavia in 1991 and that follows by 10-years long wars. and many war crimes such as mass murders, ethnic cleansing were committed. Most of these war criminals were then brought to justice by international tribunal. One of them was General Ratko Mladic. The main character of the story is loosely based on Ratko Mladic. Movie feels paint dry with no definitive focus. An aimless drift.

Writer and director Brad Siberling offers a very strange essentially two character film that immerses the viewer in the terror - and humor - of isolation, demonstrating how the presence of a companion allows connection in a world that no longer makes sense. Filmed in Serbia the actual languages and change sin viewpoints (and accents) can be confusing at times, but this not the point of the film - simply an observation.

In the opening screen remarks we are informed that War Criminals are usually caught in time, except one, this one: The General. And apparently the area of location is Yugoslavia and we meet the General (Ben Kingsley) being escorted to yet another hiding place by his handler Miro (Peter Serafinowitz). When the General is dropped off at his current safe house he encounters Tanja (Hera Mimar), a maid, who provides the responses to the General's endless chatter. Tanja is his only connection with the outside world and the various walks and endangerments they face form the crux of this mysterious story.

The acting by Ben Kingsley (sporting a confusing but consistent strange accent) is brilliant. A stylish, dense, and in many ways illuminating film about the effects of war on the individual.

Hats off to Ben Kingsley and Hera Hilmar. After "The Ottoman Lieutenant" blew my mind I wanted more of them both, especially Hera. She is such a gem!

Nope. Ben and the girl who plays his maid do a good job making this blah script interesting until the whole thing becomes a pile of poop at the end. Seriously, worst ending to any movie since THE AFFAIR. I would not recommend this to anyone. The movie meanders its way around a sorta plot with daily grind and a smile here and there for about 80 minutes until it goes off the rails and becomes a depressing mess. Do not rent this. Do not watch it on free TV. Just change the channel. OH, and if this dude was suppose to represent a shadow of the Serb General after the Bosnian conflict, that dude set up rape camps and killed children by the hundreds so .. not a character I can root for. Just an awful mess here. Skip it!

Where it not for Ben Kingley's mesmerizing performance that maintained my attention, the film could have used a faster pace.

Mwah, I expected a dangerous storyline. But what did I get. Tedious talking scenes between Ben Kingsley and his maid. Both living in former Yugoslavia and speaking fluent English. Weird.

Not any good? Well, the acting performances are quite well. How couldnt they be, because Ben Kingsley is a masterful actor. Too bad, the story is so incredibly boring...

Pity Ben Kingsley such a waste of talent. Scattered pointless story. We can do better!

I was not expecting much, a drama with people mostly talking, which is what it is. Ben Kingsley is such a terrific actor that he chews every scene he is in, just enough to make the movie intriguing. But the movie ends leaving more questions , almost like the director/writer was not sure how to finish it off.

Real waste of time.

This is a surreal art movie produced by Kingsley for self gratification. Movie was deliberately dragged to 2 hours by following Kingsley continuously on an average day.

Not quite sure why there are so many negative reviews. Everyone seems to want it to be about retribution and not just a snapshot on a period of a fictional war criminals life.

I found it well acted and a good story which unfortunately could have been set in a number of countries around the world. Enjoy it for what it is.

(2017) An Ordinary Man POLITICAL THRILLER

Co-produced, written and directed by Brad Silberling starring Ben Kingsley who's also credited as executive producer, he plays as "The General" Ratko Mladic who is charged with war crimes, and is in hiding, with some of his supporters helping him by bringing him to different locations each time. He is then introduced to a maid, Tanja, played by Hera Hilmar who may or may not be a housekeeper. The rest of the movie has "the General" showcasing his daily routine while living on the edge.

Let's just say I was captivated until it got toward the end, when more revelations came out.