The Thought-Provoking Movie "Denial"
12/12/2016
If you like movies that address contemporary issues and make you think, put Denial on your must-see list. Based on a true story, Denial is a tale of a libel case fought in a British courtroom where, unlike in the United States, the defendant is essentially guilty until proven innocent. The case has been brought by a Holocaust-denying historian, brilliantly played by Timothy Spall, against another historian, also well acted by Rachel Weisz, whose Jewish heritage contributes to her moral outrage at being sued for defaming a thoroughly despicable person. The most complex and endearing character in the movie, though, might be Weisz's British attorney. Sensitively portrayed by Tom Wilkinson, the attorney stages an unorthodox takedown of the Holocaust denier in a courtroom scene that ranks among the most memorable in film.
There are many messages in this intricate, thought-provoking movie. It ultimately exhibits a kind of good vs. evil that leaves one feeling vindicated but not entirely satisfied with the outcome. For a movie with little "action" in the traditional Hollywood sense, Denial had that rare ability to keep my wife and I entranced through the story and dialogue alone. I highly recommend it.
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