|
Starring |
Jeff Goldblum
,
Willem Dafoe
,
Derek Jacobi
|
|
|
Directed By |
Paul Schrader
|
|
|
Audio
|
Dolby Digital 5.1
|
|
Visuals
|
2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
|
|
Running Time |
106 mins
|
|
UK Release Date |
January 30, 2012
|
|
Genre |
Drama
|
|
Our Rating |
|
|
User Rating |
|
A directorial outing from Taxi Driver screenwriter Paul Schrader, Adam Resurrected is adapted from Yoram Kaniuk's controversial 1968 novel and tells the story of German Jewish cabaret and circus performer Adam Stein (Jeff Goldblum), who along with his wife and daughter is condemned to a concentration camp. Recognised by the Nazis on arrival, Stein is forced to act as a personal clown and plaything to camp Commandant Klein (Willem Dafoe). Klein inflicts endless humiliations upon Stein, chaining him up and making him act like a dog and worst of all forcing him to "entertain” his fellow inmates on their way to the gas chambers.
Obviously this sounds heart-rending and harrowing and it would be, except for the fact that we only get to see it in brief flashback scenes. The majority of the story takes place in early 60s Israel, where an understandably unhinged Stein is now an inmate in an asylum specially built for Holocaust survivors. We experience this facility, its staff and Stein's fellow inmates entirely from his warped perspective and are never quite sure what's real and what isn't, or if Stein is as insane as he appears to be.
The problem with telling a Holocaust story from this warped perspective as well as the twisted humour that arises from it – along with Goldblum's manic performance – is that it has the effect of distancing the audience. This, combined with Schrader's clinical direction, makes the whole atmosphere feel so cold and detached that you may find yourself wishing the flashbacks would last longer as they are the only scenes that are actually affecting.
Otherwise we're left with a rambling narrative mess that doesn't involve the audience enough to move them. In fact it could possibly be seen as the polar opposite of Roberto Benigni's Life is Beautiful; a film that was seen as far too sentimental and warm-hearted to accurately portray the horror of the Holocaust. Conversely, Adam Resurrected's portrayal of a holocaust survivor is too distant and emotionless to make you care.
Overall Verdict: For a film that uses such tragic history as it's backdrop you can't help but feel Adam Resurrected should have more of an emotional impact.
Special Features:
Trailer
Behind the Scenes
Reviewer: Adam Pidgeon
