[yasr_overall_rating]
Acclaimed writer and historian Deborah E. Lipstadt must battle for historical truth to prove the Holocaust actually occurred when David Irving, a renowned denier, sues her for libel.
“Denial” is a true story about a holocaust denier named David Irving, who goes up in court against holocaust historian/author Deborah Lipstadt, sueing her for libel, and essentially attempting to prove that the holocaust never happened. But more than the outlandish case Irving put up against Lipstadt, “Denial” is about a driven woman who won’t stand for a lie. A historical drama with a driven lead, the film stars Rachel Weisz, Tom wilkinson, Timothy Spall, and Andrew Scott.
Could anyone make such a claim that the holocaust never happened? And could it be legally upheld in a courtroom and accurately and historically judged by one man? These are the questions and the issues that “Denial” presents. For the history movie lover, this would certainly shed light on some interest into a crazy case that actually happened. It sheds fresh light on a subject that has been portrayed again and again. But for the average filmgoer looking for a satisfying movie, “Denial” falls short. The story in and of itself has great potential, and given the outlandish case and the outcome of the ending, one would think the story would be intriguing, captivating, and refreshing. But the only thing it has going for it, was the potential.
The performances, location and progression of the story keep a steady pace, but don’t grasp the heart (or attention) of the audience. With such a powerful story and such a strong lead, shouldn’t there be triumph? Victory? Shouldn’t we raise our fists in the air and stand up for our history? The lead character does that, but the audience only watches her, and unfortunately, don’t root for her. Her case was (and is) one to be upheld and fought for wholeheartedly. There is no question that she cared about the case, devoted her life and good health to it, but for some reason, there lacks an emotional connection, which is so desperately needed for this story.
However, “Denial” succeeds in shedding light and truth to a case that might otherwise be hidden from the world. A truly incredible story (even if it doesn’t portray well on screen), has now been told to the masses through theatrical distribution. Movies are a powerful tool of communicating the history of our world, the silent cases that no one knows about, the stories that are hidden away in books or buried in Wikipedia. But in this case, someone stumbled upon an incredible story and made a film about it, and even scored some amazing actors and performances. For such an amazing opportunity and such an incredible story, “Denial” deserves so much more.
Opens at the Angelika Film Center in Plano and the Magnolia Theater in Dallas Friday, October 7th
