• Through editing Polanski has a true gift for creating paranoia. You can see it in rosemary’s baby, Chinatown, and ghost writer. It’s palpable as he slowly brings the pianist to a boil – there’s an unmistakable sense of horrific doom (of course here it’s the holocaust)
  • Known for Brody’s Oscar win- I still think DDL in gangs of new york is superior but Brody does a great job here and he’s a deserving Oscar winner. There’s weight loss, face manipulation (to show both weight loss and sickness) yet it’s a reserved performance- not showy at all which I love
  • The ending showing him coming full circle, sitting and playing the piano impeccably dressed and well groomed- is powerful
  • I also love that the battle scenes are shown only from Brody’s POV in hiding
  • Not in the top 10 of 2002
  • Recommend