Not to condemn a film or a people outright, but English folk don't make for the best French folk. This glaring problem is for a casting director or producer to avoid so people like I, uneducated in such things, don't find such loose openings to attack in this lacking, empty and emotionless film about an event that should have been given more depth and clarity than usual modern politically savvy approach.
Collaborators in the war for the most got their due justice when the Allies liberated the defeated nations. Those in league with Axis forces were tarred and feathered, beaten up, lynched and brought to trial and execution before and after the Cold War. Its easy to judge those that helped the Germans, Italians, Japanese or Soviets before 22 June 1941, but they thought that the enemy was there to stay and it was best to do what they wanted or it would be summary executions or off to the concentration and death camps. The neutral nations that avoided the fight knew their fate under occupation and should not be blanketed as inherently evil. The avoidance of war is no easy endeavour.
There is a human side to atrocity, we are the only species capable of such horrific things. The Statement misses any and all humanity to the investigating judges, the catholic church (a bleeding and reeling target) the Vichy France of Petain, the rapine and genocidal policies of the Third Reich. I was expecting far too much out of this film . . .
That is not to say that it didn't have its positives. The English actors gave strong performances, despite my needless diatribes, especially Michael Caine as the Nazi collaborator and Tilda Swinton as the French War Crimes Prosecutor, well as Colin Salmon and various characters that I know only by face.
I wanted it to be more like Boys from Brazil, Marathon Man, Shindlers List or Judgment at Nuremburg, but it falls short into the realm of Charlotte Gray or a Bosworth movie (Brian or Kate)even with the breadth of talent involved in this fact/book based film. Which won't be listed, there's no need to brown-nose about this failed attempt of a film.
Collaborators in the war for the most got their due justice when the Allies liberated the defeated nations. Those in league with Axis forces were tarred and feathered, beaten up, lynched and brought to trial and execution before and after the Cold War. Its easy to judge those that helped the Germans, Italians, Japanese or Soviets before 22 June 1941, but they thought that the enemy was there to stay and it was best to do what they wanted or it would be summary executions or off to the concentration and death camps. The neutral nations that avoided the fight knew their fate under occupation and should not be blanketed as inherently evil. The avoidance of war is no easy endeavour.
There is a human side to atrocity, we are the only species capable of such horrific things. The Statement misses any and all humanity to the investigating judges, the catholic church (a bleeding and reeling target) the Vichy France of Petain, the rapine and genocidal policies of the Third Reich. I was expecting far too much out of this film . . .
That is not to say that it didn't have its positives. The English actors gave strong performances, despite my needless diatribes, especially Michael Caine as the Nazi collaborator and Tilda Swinton as the French War Crimes Prosecutor, well as Colin Salmon and various characters that I know only by face.
I wanted it to be more like Boys from Brazil, Marathon Man, Shindlers List or Judgment at Nuremburg, but it falls short into the realm of Charlotte Gray or a Bosworth movie (Brian or Kate)even with the breadth of talent involved in this fact/book based film. Which won't be listed, there's no need to brown-nose about this failed attempt of a film.