The Infiltrator

I'm not sure why the other reviewer found the movie so hard to believe as it is a true story based off of Yaron Svoray's life and his book, "In Hitler's Shadow". Yaron is an undercover writer who was able to 'infiltrate' a Nazi party and have them believe he is writing to support their cause. Working with the Simon Wiesenthal Center they attempt to setup Nazis in order to give concrete proof to the German government that the groups exist and who their leaders are.

The acting was superb, and Oliver Platt, as usual, delivered a genuine performance. You truly felt for the characters in the movie. The movie did a great job of showing the Nazi influence in all levels of the public and government. They made it a point to show that not all Germans are Nazis with a few German citizens criticizing the Nazis in public. The movie shows the situation from all sides (Nazi, Jew, immigrants, etc) without trying to hide facts or issues.

There are several lessons to be learned from a well done movie like this, I wouldn't want to ruin it for everyone, see the movie, its well worth a rental.

An interesting premise is ruined by the distraction of Oliver Platt's ethnicity. I'm not sure what Yaron Svoray really looks like, but there is NO WAY platt, in real life, could trick dozens of skinheads (which is highly unlikely in the first place) into letting him infiltrate the highest commands of neo-nazism just cause he's a nice guy!?

You think the KKK would allow Denzel Washington to join ranks?

My skepticism suggests though Yaron may have infiltrated a few skinhead gangs, the frolicking with elder Nazis and "kissing the lips of Hitler" bit was added for theatrical, aggrandizing purposes. I don't believe it.

after seeing the movie, I had a chance to read the book that the movie was based upon.

Of course no movie can reproduce a book perfectly; there just isn't time. But the basics of the film and the book match up-- the smoke screen magazine "The Right Way", the eager fake millionaire, the snuff film, Hitler's goblet, the rallies, befriending Nazi skinheads...

And while Oliver Platt doesn't look exactly like Yaron Svoray, he is as believable as an Aryan as Svoray.

the book, "In Hitler's Shadow" includes many photos of Svoray at Nazi rallies, hanging out with Skins, and has a picture of the "investor" with Hitler's valet.

So, unless the book itself is a complete fabrication of lies, the movie does a pretty good job of summing up the story.

Now, I don't know about the guy Platt portrays in this film. I think it is based on a real life story, but I'm not sure all the facts. I do know that this movie makes you think a lot. There were points in the film where I was on the edge of crying. Platt plays this character wonderfully, and I think that he did an awesome job when it came to showing his horror as a jew when he would see disgusting acts by the nazis. In this movie, you're rooting for Platt's character all the way, and you find yourself asking the question...how can people be friends with this man, and then hate him because of his religious beliefs and ethnicity? It's a movie that makes you ask questions like these. It's one of the best movies of its kind in my opinion.

Good movie a saw when I was a teenager.

The sad reality.