The Debt (2011)
Certified: 16
Duration: 113 minutes
Directed by: John Madden
Starring: Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Jessica Chastain, Ciarán Hinds, Tom Wilkinson, Marton Csokas, Jesper Christensen
KRS release
John Madden directs this classy, surprising and profound remake of the 2007 Israeli film with meticulous preciseness and has a splendid cast on a tight leash dancing to his jig.
The film has two different storylines: One set in the 1960s and a much more modern one, with the same but yet different characters giving the film an added dimension as a viewing experience.
In 1997, two ex-Mossad agents named Rachel and Stefan (Helen Mirren and Tom Wilkinson) are brought back together on the strength of a book that has been written by their daughter. The book chronicles the events surrounding, and actions perpetrated by, the two and another agent, David (Ciaran Hinds), to bring a Nazi war criminal to justice.
The film then relocates action to 1966 in Berlin. Rachel (Jessica Chastain) joins agents Stefan (Marton Csokas) and David (Sam Worthington) as she has to play the part of David’s wife. They are on the hunt for Dieter Vogel (Jesper Christensen) who due to the experiments he had carried out in the concentration camps, had been given the nickname of The Surgeon of Birkenau. Now he is working as a gynaecologist and they have to make sure he is the right man. If he is, then he is to be taken prisoner and smuggled to Israel to face charges.
Vogel is eventually captured and while they wait on him to take him to Israel, Vogel ends up getting under their skin. His words and mind games will affect them all with Rachel being a prime target. Today, in 1997 they are still trying to cope with the past events and Vogel’s words and actions.
John Madden shows a deft hand in the way he catapults the story back and forth through the two different time frames. The audience never feels this is a trick to fill up the narrative. Mr Madden does not complicate matters too much and The Debt is quiet easy to follow despite the flashbacks and flash-forwards. His handling of the film is reinforced by the added impetus provided by Thomas Newman’s lush musical score.
Jessica Chastain, who had looked so beautiful in The Tree of Life but given nothing to do except act mesmerised, is here in fine form. Sam Worthington is very intense as is Marton Csokas but it is Jesper Christensen as the villain in question who gives the film that much needed malicious touch. Tom Wilkinson and Ciarán Hinds are overshadowed by Helen Mirren whose character grows while that of those around her fade away.
The film is also a sort of power play between the actions of the past and what is happening in the present with the two storylines vying for our attention. The film’s look is suitably gritty and has enough atmosphere and twists to keep its audience on the edge.
The balance between heist, taut psychological games and introspective guilt-ridden meditation are well handled to deliver a finely-tuned thriller.