The German Lesson

Wonderful story of family ties that get untied due to an overachieving Nazi father who values duty more than his own blood. Very well played by all main cast and beautifully shot. On a side note we see how (too) many Nazis remained in power after the War. The protagonist is torn between his love for art and the pain his father causes, so the spectator feels for him as he seems to lose his mind.

This is literally one of the most beautifully directed historic movies out there. I cannot believe how underrated this is.

Everything from the pacing to the acting is done very nicely, and the story is also told in a very interesting manner.

It definitely deserves higher ratings!

I didn't read the original novel, so the story was completely new to me. It is a wartime movie, with a village policeman (initially) forced to prohibit his friend from painting; common practice in Nazi Germany. But the story has many levels: it addresses the conflict of a father/son relationship (with the painter competing for that role) the battle between good and evil (how can any painting be bad for society?), how do we deal with populism in our own age, how can it be that hardened war criminals simply return and continue as before...? The backdrop of the German coast, with constant rain torturing the characters, complements a very intriguing story that forces the viewer to continue to watch.

I think it's a good movie. I watched so many World War II, German movies. It's the German point of view of the war. Shows how Germans had it Bad as well. Towards the end it was confusing. I did not get the ending. Good story.... Also, how some people regardless of what they went through, like the father, there are avid Nazis. Those are horrifying. Especially what we see in today's world. I feel bad for the son, he was blamed before and after the war. Sad, but interesting story. Worth watching. It's a bit slow, but overall OK. Nice scenery. Good picture, I like that it was an English. I would recommend it.

I didn't get into the film because I couldn't understand the concept of banning art. The visuals and the scenery are beautiful though.