I think I own every Holocaust movoie going in my collection, an interest that stemmed from WW2 and history in general, but I really wasn#t sure that I really wanted to see another one. Based on the biography of one such individual the story here concerns the Slovaks, seen through the eyes of one such boy. The initial impression conveyed here is that the Slovakian Jews, were not especially religious, got on with their lives and hoped the on coming war and new boundaries in the East would not effect them, at least that is what the Friedmen family were hoping in this well told period drama. Seen predominantly through the eyes of the football talented son, Martin, the title comes from a pact the father made with his family as he raised a toast in front of his wife and many children that they will all do the same again next year and count their many successes an event they fail to realise when the on set of the Jewish deportation to work camps and worse see's the family broken up. All the more tragic that the father, (Excellently played)hopes like many, with optimism that things will get better, ignoring one sons offer of freedom to Palestine arranged for almost the whole family before things begin to get worse. Shot in rich grainy colours and well acted by a cast unknown in Western main stream drama this movie sets the tone and captures the time at a realistic perfect pitch. Much of the film is set in the work camp where those that are useful are kept alive to contribute while their friends and family are gradually whisked off to a horrible fate that is unknown but can obviously be guessed at. True, we have seen this all before, told in grim detail in Schindlers List, and with action and suspense in the mini-series film Uprising, and latter part of the film, with its resistance focus has more in common with Defiance as others have suggested. What this film rams home however is that there are many stories to be told about the holocaust, and despite the familiar setting each is very unique and while the emotional gamut we travel maybe one we have been down before, it is no less poignant even if it feels like old ground. An old day medical procedure is very gut wrenching to watch and all the acting is first rate. Historians and those with an interest will find this to be a well made film with much to enjoy in the detail, those looking for something more Hollywood, may still, if they can stay away from their mobile phones, find themselves on a moving journey none the less. You know what your getting and unfortunately here, the bad guys don't always get their just deserts, but then this is real life, not Hollywood. You may well see this in your local supermarket at some stage with an emphasis on action cover like so many other foreign WW2 titles recently, more often than not, they are rarely if ever action based pictures but that doesn't mean that their not any good, or worth watching, and depending on your attraction to the subject matter, that is very true here. Worth your time.
