In Darkness

My last day in Savannah, I had the the misfortune of having to choose between seeing Lily Tomlin in person at a tribute/screening of "The Late Show" or seeing Agnieszka Holland's baity but promising Holocaust drama, "In Darkness." I chose the later with the hope that I would see Tomlin somewhere around town. I didn't spot her, but I am very pleased with my choice.

"In Darkness" tells the tale of Leopold Socha, a Catholic sewer worker in Lvov, Poland during the Nazi occupation. Along with his work partner, Socha (played magnificently by Robert Wieckiewicz) has begun breaking into the vacant homes of Jewish citizens that have been moved into the ghetto and stashing their valuables in the sewers for his own personal safekeeping. Meanwhile, as the Nazi's began their assault on the ghetto, a large group of Jews manage to dig down under their house and into the sewers where they are surprised by Socha just minutes after breaking through. Socha sees an opportunity to make some money and a deal is struck.

The audience is introduced to so many characters in the first half hour, it can be a bit difficult to know who you really need to focus on. Aside from the obvious lead, Socha, it soon becomes apparent who the other main players are and you form your attachments appropriately. While you see Socha as a loving husband and hard-working father right off the bat, how he takes advantage of the already desperate crowd he finds beneath the city showcases him as a bit less than a hero. Having him forced on you as the unlikely protagonist allows for a great evolution to play out. Wieckiewicz gives us a deeply nuanced turn as he we watch him learn both the impact he has had on those in the darkness and the impact they have had on him.

Visually, the movie is as dark as the name suggests. At least half of the film takes place in the sewers, thus evoking the proper sense of claustrophobia. A couple shots in particular felt nearly iconic to me; a woman in vivid blue running through the gray streets of the ghetto during the Nazi raid, Socha bringing a little girl up to the surface just enough to poke her head above the street. The production tips closer to minimalistic than lush, which works well under Holland's careful direction and in the bleak setting.

The movie is very powerful and carries a scholarly tone that should allow it to maintain a presence in the genre for years. As far as the Academy is concerned, this is a sure bet for a Best Foreign Language nomination (as Poland's submission) and a definite contender to take home the trophy. Wieckiewicz would have a place on my ballot as well as considerations for the film in Best Picture and several technical categories. This would be a great film for the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival to add to their lineup.

4.5 out of 5 stars.

Check out more reviews by Cameron McAllister at Reel Georgia - www.ReelGA.com

The subject matter of some films is so serious that it makes it difficult to assess the work in purely cinematic terms. This is especially true of real-life events that raise moral issues and there can be no bigger instance than that of the Holocaust which is every second of "In Darkness". It tells a story that would be literally incredible if it was not true: how a dissolute Polish sewer worker called Leopold Socha saved the lives of a dozen Jews by hiding them underground for months. This happened in what was during the Second World War the Polish town of Lwów and today is the Ukrainian town of Lviv. In 1978, Socha and his wife were awarded the title "Righteous among the Nations" by Yad Vashem in Israel.

The film is the work of Polish female director Agnieszka Holland and it is a Polish, German and Canadian co-production with a screenplay by Canadian writer David F. Shamoon. In any country, the film will have some subtitles, because the dialogue involves Polish, Ukrainian, Yiddish and German, and of course in English-speaking nations the whole thing is sub-titled which will limit its appeal to many, but it really is a work worth watching. Holland effectively conveys the paralysing fear and utter squalor of life in the sewers and Robert Wieckiewicz as Socha - like the other actors - shows how the unbearable stresses of such situations make people behave in ways, both good and bad, which are out of character.

"In Darkness" does not have the narrative drive and clear characterisation of "Schindler's List" but, like Spielberg's film, it is powerful movie-making and heart-wrenching storytelling.

I watched this 5 days ago, and still find it in my mind - in the middle of the night/ while shopping/ washing/ walking down the street.

I don't think I will ever forget it.

Film is dramatic, tense, witty, and above all haunting.

A remarkable film, there is nothing more I can say.

I would just add that the acting is really good.

The story breaks my heart.

The film makes vivid a story from our history, a history that should not ever be forgotten.

There is something compelling in remembering the Nazi atrocities, and also in viewing films about them.

Watching this film, I felt part of a shared experience - respecting and grieving all the people who died and suffered at the hands of the Nazis.

It's WWII in German-occupied Polish city Lwów. Leopold Socha is a sewer worker and an opportunist looking to enrich himself with Jewish gold. At first, he and his co-worker friend Szczepek Wróblewski help the Jews but only for a price. However, the danger of discovery mounts. Some people get suspicious. Leopold finds himself alone hiding his group even after they run out of money.

The obvious holocaust movie comparison is the great 'Schindler's List'. Of course, there is similarity between Schindler and Socha. However the characters in this movie seem move gritty. It's more than the grungy sewer location. It is the people's pettiness and ugly racism. It's not just the Germans, or the Ukranians or the Poles. It's also the Jews. For most of the movie, the motives are not high-minded. Fear and the survival instincts hold sway. The eventual idealism comes not as a single revelation as Schindler riding his horse watching the ghetto be liquidated. It comes in a series of steps that moves forward and backwards. More than once, Socha almost abandons his Jews and almost as many times, Socha is about to be killed by his Jews. This is more gritty and compelling in a different way. Socha is a hero almost by chance but it is his humanity overcoming his fears that is the true story. He is no mover and shaker. He is a blue collar grunt and he risks the little that he had for the sake of strangers. Filming in the narrow confines of the sewer set does limit the visual scale. It doesn't always provide the best views.

I saw this movie at is world premier gala event at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). I must admit that I grew up hearing stories from the script writer, David Shamoon, so I may have some bias to this film. As a novice critic, this is my review: In Darkness is a touching and moving film. This is not a war movie, and it is only partly a Holocaust story. This is a human story. The memoir of one of the survivors, who is portrayed in this film, inspired the book which found its way to David then to Hollywood. Any one who sees this or has any connection to the tragedies of the Second World War will be happy that this story was told. It is unique and not like any other film portrayal that I have ever seen. You must have a stomach for seeing what survival is like when portrayed on the silver screen. You will root for some characters, bit your nails as events unfold, and sigh with relief at numerous occasions. At the end of the film you will have something to talk about with those you watched it with and those you want to recommend it to. See this film and you will be happy that you did.

As a side note, the presentation of the film at TIFF was on 10th anniversary of 9/11 and I would think that TIFF organizers chose this evening and this presentation strategically. There was also a special surprise after the movie, the survivor/writer of the original memoirs cam to stage to thank those involved and present her grand daughters. It brought tears to the audience. I have never been to a movie premier with so much applause before even when big names like Clooney are in attendance.