elision10

I know this is supposed to be a sweet, heart-warming film. But the children treat the servants so viciously and with lack of respect that it's more like a primer for upper class youth on how to treat the lower orders. They're consistently treated with disdain. It's rather shocking that the movie takes this point of view. The child actors aren't too bad, but one of the boys, the young master of the house, is second-rate and not believable. The movie is watchable, and even enjoyable, during the first half. But the second half is rather sappy. I imagine the book is much better, although IMDBers seem to rather like this film.

I got through about half an hour. I know we're supposed to get all reverential about a Holocaust movie. And perhaps it's because the film apparently has some religious auspices that others may find inspiring and I do not. But to me none of the characters held much interest. There's a lot of talk about God, but somehow there seems to be a lack of seriousness about the whole business, as if people's lives are not much at stake. The German soldiers are presented in the usual manner, ie, they may maintain great interest in, say, the beauty of watchmaking to show their possible humanity; but eventually they'll start blubbering about race theory. There are some great and affecting movies about the Holocaust out there; this isn't one of them.

As an old, conservative, straight man who rolls his eyes when he hears "What are your pronouns?, I'm not the prime target of a movie about a young boy of confused sexuality. But I greatly enjoyed the film. If this were a Hollywood treatment of the topic, the father would be an alcoholic, former Marine with PTSAD who keeps screaming at the kid "Act like a man." But all the characters here, while not equally sympathetic, are never reduced to such stereotypes. They are all terribly human, struggling how to deal with a situation that baffles and upsets them. The extended family is introduced to us, and its history and skeletons in the closet are explored. The film is likely too long, and it would have been better served by a more severe editor or tighter script. But it's certainly a rewarding two hours and well recommended.