woman in gold
2015 review number 64:
Woman in Gold: (Drama): 67 out of 100: Movies based on a true story are often changed for dramatic purposes. Without knowing the facts, it's often easy for the audience to believe that what they see on the screen actually happened. There are some dull moments in this movie where history shows that the events that occurred should have been engrossing throughout.
Helen Mirren plays Maria Altmann, a Jewish refugee who seeks justice for what happened to her family. She takes on the Austrian government to retrieve paintings that were seized by the Nazis in World War II. One of these paintings includes Klimt's famous 'Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I'. She hires Randy Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds) who is an inexperienced though determined lawyer with some Austrian roots himself.
What harms the flow of the narrative is the constant flashbacks. The movie is unsure of whether it wants to be a WWII dramatisation or a courtroom drama with lawyers battling it out. There are some scenes in the modern day period which are dull and uninteresting. It's only after the first 45 minutes when things become more involving and intriguing. There are some moments of humour especially from Mirren which alleviate some of the tension in the film.
Mirren can always be counted on to deliver a solid performance. However, she is not the main actor. It is Reynolds' film as he discovers his roots and acts upon the situation after discovering how his ancestors died. He demonstrates his dramatic acting chops and proves that we should forgive him for some poor choices in "R.I.P.D" and "Green Lantern". There are also some commendable supporting performances from Daniel Brühl, Katie Holmes, Charles Dance and Jonathan Pryce.
There is some great location shooting to enhance the look of the film. The production design also assists in the presentation of the different time periods. If you are an art enthusiast, you will appreciate the paintings on display.
"Woman in Gold" could have been a much better film than it was. It's more often than not an enjoyable crowd-pleaser but just don't expect this to win any major awards.
Starring Ryan Reynolds and Helen Mirren
(109 minutes)
Parental advice: Coarse language
Additional scene during or after credits: No
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geJeX6iIlO0 (Movie trailer)
(Reviewed on Friday 24th April, 2015)
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