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Downfall (2005)
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Movie Review by Ilana 
March 25th, 2005
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Hitler, Germany, WWII. We all know the basics. DOWNFALL goes past the basics and into the specifics, as seen through the eyes of the Fuehrer's right-hand men, his loved ones, and of course, his secretary. (Anyone who has ever worked in an office knows that the secretary -- oops, I mean executive assistant -- sees, hears, and smells everything.)
And while the film went a bit long for my taste (as in, okay, we get it already) and had a few too many trite images (I'm very much over the cherubic child as metaphor), it did paint quite a lucid picture of what life was like in that little bunker in Berlin as the Russians were closing in on the city. So, in that sense, it's an important one to watch. (This from a girl who puts "period pieces" on the list of the types of movies she does not care to see.)
The hype around this movie is Bruno Ganz's spot-on portrayl of Adolf Hitler. And he does indeed deliver a top-notch performance, seemlessly moving between commanding his forces, bursting into puerile fits of range, and even demonstrating brief moments of compassion. In other words, Ganz shows us that Hitler was more than just a tyrant; he was a human tyrant.
Most remarkable to me was Hitler's tenuous grasp on reality and his followers' blind devotion to his vision, even (especially) in those final few days. For those who are open to hearing it, DOWNFALL delivers a timeless message. Watch out when you believe -- rather, when you know -- what is right, what is good. That goes for liberal loonies like me and conservative chimps like you know who. In the words of the oh-so-wise MatchFlick Amanda: "Be careful."
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