An Ordinary Man

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.