by Jeffery Rahming, Contributing Writer
Movies based on history are always a bit risky, because no one wants to go see a history lesson. Especially one like Nuremberg, where we’re forced to reflect on one of humanity’s darkest days. But they also give us a chance to examine the nuances of events we’ve all heard about but don’t really explore. With its portrayal of the trials that changed international law and war forever, Nuremberg explores a real-life case study on how to deal with evil.
In the immediate aftermath of World War II, Lt. Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) is called upon to evaluate recently captured Nazis in preparation for the first international trial of its kind. Initially interested in how his new patients could provide material for a book, Kelley finds himself in the midst of one of the 20th century’s biggest moral debates. He builds a relationship with one man in particular, Hermann Göring (Russel Crowe), Hitler’s second-in-command, to the point of befriending his family. Trapped in a debate nobody would want to be in the middle of, Kelley tries to find out what made the Nazis so evil that they would do such horrible atrocities, only to find the answers aren’t as simple as everyone else wants them to be.
Like the real trial, Nuremberg is, in part, a question of the nature of morality. Many characters entreat Kelley to find the reason behind the evil done at the concentration camps. To find something that makes the Nazis more evil than the rest of the world, but of course, he can’t, as the brutal truth is these are just corrupted people, as human as the rest of us, not monsters. Crowe’s performance is excellent in carrying this theme, as he can alternate between jovial warmth and Nazi sociopathy seemingly at the blink of an eye. You can believe that he’s both a loving family man who just wanted to do his duty and a cruel manipulator who only cares about power. The two, unfortunately for those who wish the world were black and white, are not too far apart when it comes to Göring in this film. I don’t think this movie explores all this in great or profound depth, but it makes for an interesting discussion, and it’s the right time to have it.
The stellar ensemble cast is what really brings this together. Crowe is transformative as Göring, to the point that it’s almost scary. Göring was a narcissist to be sure, but it’s that quiet confidence that he did no wrong that’s so unnerving, and Crowe is just excellent at that. Michael Shannon as Robert H. Jackson, the American judge spearheading the proceedings, similarly disappears into his role, though I wish we had spent just a little bit more time with his character. Malek as Kelley, on the other hand, doesn’t work quite as well. Malek is a good actor who I think is frequently miscast, and I feel the same here. He isn’t the right fit for this character, and when he and Crowe have really dramatic scenes together, Crowe just steals them completely. When Malek’s not acting against Crowe, there’s this smarmy charisma about him that suits the character, but I just don’t buy it coming from him. It’s a serviceable performance in a movie full of great ones, and considering he’s essentially the lead character, it drags down the film a bit.
With a topic this serious, Nuremberg can’t help but feel like a history lesson sometimes. Especially in the scenes with Shannon, it can sometimes feel like you’re watching really talented people read off Wikipedia pages. But it’s all paced well enough that none of these moments get too boring, or ruin the experience. The first act is actually quite fun and quippy. Göring and Kelleys’ developing relationship almost feels like you’re watching a buddy comedy at points, which makes the cold reality of everything that happens outside of that bubble all the more unfortunate. When we do get to the trial, it hits all the harder when you go from the strangely warm camaraderie Göring and Kelley developed in Göring’s cell to the reality of what this man actually did. To make what the Nazis did with the Holocaust a gut-punch is hard, considering we already know what happened, but when we get to spend time with the family and the man who actually did this, it becomes a shocking effect when we see the devastating results of a man’s decision to put himself over what was right.
Nuremberg suffers from some unbalanced performances and, at times, can feel a little like you’re watching the History Channel, but it’s a good film overall. Crowe gives one of his career’s best, and is surrounded by a great cast. The film does a great job at capturing the horror of looking into the eyes of evil men and realizing they’re just as human as the rest of us.
Rating: Liked It
Nuremberg is currently playing in theaters
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