PLOT: In the aftermath of WWII, psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) is sent to Germany to psychologically profile the arrested remnants of the German high command in preparation for the first Nuremberg trial for war crimes, headed by American lawyer Robert H. Jackson (Michael Shannon). While most of the criminals present themselves as unrepentant Nazis, Kelley finds himself building a strange kind of rapport with Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe), Hitler’s second-in-command, who refuses to take responsibility for any crimes against humanity.
REVIEW: Whatever side of the political aisle you find yourself on, it can’t be denied that in an era of increasing fanaticism, a movie about the Nuremberg trials and the rise of fascism hits differently than it would have just a few years ago. Of course, James Vanderbilt’s Nuremberg will inevitably be compared to the 1962 classic Judgment at Nuremberg, but it’s worth noting that film was about a different trial, revolving around the doctors who carried out Hitler’s demonic eugenics policies that helped lead to the systematic extermination of six million Jews. This movie is about the first trial, where the German high command was forced to answer for their crimes.
It may seem inconceivable now, but there was a real threat that a man like Göring could have successfully defended himself as merely having served his country. Thus, it was of the utmost importance that the Allies proved he had knowledge of the Final Solution, lest he escape the hangman’s noose. As the movie shows, many in the Allied countries believed a swift execution without trial was the best way to deal with men such as him, but the worry was that systematic executions might make them martyrs and lead to another Reich rising in the decades to come.
All that helps make Nuremberg an extremely compelling watch. While not the most innovatively staged film I saw at TIFF this year, it’s still one of the best, with Vanderbilt crafting an entertaining movie many would do well to see. Even if we treat WWII like it’s ancient history, it really isn’t. While boasting an all-star cast, much of the movie revolves around Rami Malek’s Douglas Kelley and his interactions with Russell Crowe’s Göring. Initially an egotistical doctor who hopes to gather enough material for a book about the trials, Kelley finds himself pitted against a formidable foe in the seemingly reasonable Göring, who is able to articulate his plea of ignorance better than anyone expected. Intellectually, no one is a match for him—least of all Kelley, on whom Göring does a real number (leading to a chilling postscript to his story that students of the trials probably already know). Malek is excellent as the cocky Kelley, who finds himself shockingly sympathetic to Göring, much to the disbelief of his interpreter, a young sergeant (Leo Woodall—in his second standout TIFF performance following Turner) who has a personal reason for knowing exactly who and what these men really are.
Russell Crowe delivers one of his best performances as Göring, winning over Kelley with his intellect and chumminess, as well as his fluency in English, good humor, and devotion to his family. He expertly manipulates Kelley, and Crowe is perfectly cast. Michael Shannon also makes a strong impression as the attorney spearheading the trials who, despite his vast intellect, rightly suspects he may not be a match for the wily Göring. Richard E. Grant steals many scenes as David Maxwell Fyfe, the secondary counsel who, though lacking Jackson’s charisma and drinking far too much, possesses a dazzling intellect that may make him better suited to dismantling Göring than anyone else.
Despite running over two and a half hours, Nuremberg flies by, with Vanderbilt giving the film a solid pace while Brian Tyler’s score thunders on the soundtrack. More than anything, he expertly conveys the history-changing stakes of the trial, which left everyone involved with deep psychological wounds time was never able to fully heal. Watching this movie, you understand why—and it serves as a timely warning against the rise of fanaticism in any form, and how it inevitably leads to hate and death.
