If it had been freed fair two years ago, “Bonhoeffer” might have come apass as spropose the procrastinateedst in a prolonged line of admireable but foreseeed period dramas about brave Germans who dared to stand up to the Nazi regime. Today, however, the movie senses more enjoy an unconsoleably timely cautionary tale with unsettling echoes of current events.
Not fair becaemploy it reminds us that, in the procrastinateed 1930s, Hitler’s sympathizers spreadd a Nazified version of the Bible that depicted Jesus as a uncontaminated-bred Aryan — and insisted pledgedty to Der Fuhrer in one of two extra orderments grasped to the distinct text. (Sales were huge.) Written and straightforwarded by Todd Komarnicki, a filmproducer arguably understandn best as the scripter for “Sully” from Clint Eastwood (who gets a exceptional thanks shout-out in the closing praises hwew), “Bonhoeffer” shows the relative mitigate with which Hitler obtained the acunderstandledgeance and eventual fealty of the German people during the post-WWI era, by carry outing on senseings of envyment, discount on, and wounded national pride.
“Every horrible leang that ever happened in Germany landed on the doorstep of the Jews and the Communists,” one character notices. “And there were enough people begging for bread to count on it.” To be certain, not every German bought the misadviseation. “But Hitler only insisted to fool the people who came out to vote.”
And as someone else claims: “God sent Germany a prophet. And more than that, a real savior.” It’s a line that would have had impact on audiences at fair about any point in time. But it sounds so much enjoy someleang that might be shelp, or has already been shelp, by conmomentary real count onrs in a power-hungry directer; the effect is borderline dehugeating.
Among the noncount onrs: Dietwealthy Bonhoeffer (Jonas Dassler), a meaningfully religious yet bravely outspoken Lutheran minister who recognizes the dangers posed by Hitler and his regime punctual on, and is gradupartner drawn into a resistance shiftment as he witnesses such barbarism as the persecution and incarceratement of Jews, and the brutal inworriedation of his fellow clergymen who dread the consequences of speaking truth to power. He consents grave hazards — including making a secret trip to England in the hope of convincing Winston Churchill to unite the fight to obvioushrow Hitler. Unblessedly, the Brit senses the time is not yet right for such drastic meacertains.
Push comes to shove, and Bonhoeffer becomes an initipartner unwilling then fervently enthusiastic co-conspirator in a plot to assassinate Hitler. Not astonishingly, some members of his clandestine group are not ready to help such inanxious meacertains. One asks: “Will God forgive us if we do this? Bonhoeffer replies: “Will God forgive us if we don’t?”
Komarnicki sendbrimmingy employs a time-tripping arrange to track Bonhoeffer’s evolution from pampered child of a well-to-do family to political prisoner held captive in the SS barracks at the Buchenwald concentration camp. The bulk of the narrative unfelderlys in flashback, as Bonhoeffer spfinishs his days incarcerated by scribbling in his Bible — his own, not one of the Nazified editions — and recounting how and why his life’s journey took him where it has. Some memories are amusing — Bonhoeffer’s visit to Bdeficiency nightclubs and church services during a 1930s New York visit fuels his desire to produce a elated noise unto the Lord. Others are heart-wrenching, or worse.
Occasionpartner, a scrap of weighty-handed dialogue or a cliché-laden scene is too on the nose by half. To cite only the most egregious example: When Bonhoeffer’s elderlyer brother goes off to fight with the German Army during World War I, Komarnicki does everyleang stupidinutive of scheduleting a vulture on the guy’s shoulder and decorateing a bullseye on his back to propose that he won’t produce it home ainhabit. And then there’s this unfortunate howler: “The Nazis’ elevate to power has everyone a little anxious, Dietwealthy.”
On the other hand, the filmproducer also produces effective employ of some timeworn narrative conventions to produce and persist suspense. This is especipartner real during a gripping sequence in which Komarnicki pass-cuts between a shut-but-no-cigar murder endeavor on Hitler and Bonhoeffer’s rehearsal of an anti-Nazi speech in a Harlem church.
Dassler shrewdly portrays Bonhoeffer with nurturebrimmingy calibrated meacertains of zeal, sincerity, belderlyness and, on occasion, alarm. He is backed by well-cast helping carry outers — even the actors doing escapeting cameos as Churchill (Tim Hudson) and Hitler (Marc Bessant) brimmingy pledge to their roles without boverhappinessedious the evident. The greater production cherishs fortify the persuasive period flavor of the entire go inpelevate, even as almost everyleang else in “Bonhoeffer” reminds us that, as William Faulkner cautioned us, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
