The Pianist
The Players: Adrien Brody; directed by Roman Polanski
The Skinny: An adaptation based on the autobiography of acclaimed Polish pianist and composer Wladyslaw Szpilman (Brody), the film details his survival during World War II, narrowly escaping a roundup that sends his family to a death camp. Szpilman played the last live music heard over Polish radio airwaves before Nazi artillery hit. Afterwards, he struggles to stay alive, hiding in the ruins of Warsaw and scavenging for food and shelter, using his music to cope with the horror.
The Bottom Line: The 69-year-old Polanski returns to the directing chair to give us another take on the Holocaust. The American Brody is the true find, however, playing a Polish icon and holding his own with a mostly Polish cast–this could catapult the talented actor into bigger and better things.
Opens: Dec. 27
