Rating: 2.5/5
Synopsis:
A new WWII drama is presented in the faith based perspective, focusing on the life of a man who was willing to risk it all. “Bonhoeffer” explores the life of a German minister who decides to resist the Nazi regime. Throughout his time in the church, he is compelled to go against leaders and even members of his congregation in order to subdue Nazi influence. Guided by his faith, Bonhoeffer goes on a crusade to help save his country.
Positives:
I love a good historical drama, so “Bonhoeffer” seemed right up my alley. What we get is a film that not only explores the life of a man but the identity of a country. The story goes back and forth between the minister’s life, explaining his disdain for prejudice and his desire to live through the word of God. His moral dilemma between keeping his loved ones safe and rejecting his country’s new ideology provides a compelling story. I enjoyed seeing how he tirelessly tried to convince members of his church that the way of God is not tied to one man (Hitler) and that the German citizens have a crucial role in opposing fascism if they wish to remain spiritually pure. Meanwhile, seeing others within the church take a more subdued approach to remaining safe is understandable since they had so much to lose. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was undeniably a person driven by a grounded moral compass and a fervent desire to do what is right. I enjoyed learning about the character and how he managed to be so productive.
The film is constructed well on a technical level. The story has the right amount of flashbacks to give audiences the insight they’d need to understand Bonhoeffer’s morals and why he became one of Germany’s most profound ministers. Seeing him make friends with Frank, a black man he met during his seminary days, gave him a unique insight to prejudice. Many of his experiences moving forward convey his unwavering sense of justice and kindness he believes the Nazis lack. I enjoyed seeing how his portrayal in the film inspires others to defend freedom and integrity within the church and their national identity. Credit to the filmmakers for attempting to tell this story.
Negatives:
As interesting as the subject matter may be, the film as a whole is ultimately a mixed bag. While “Bonhoeffer” attempts to tell an inspiring story, it stuffs way too many ideas into one movie. This makes the story feel bloated as the runtime is just short of two and a half hours. The plot has ambitions to create a faith based film, address social injustice, and tell a biography all in one. Unfortunately I don’t think it constructs any of these elements in a way that resonates well. The uneven pacing also adds to this effect. Certain scenes go on for far too long and feel jumbled as we jump around through time. Although the flashbacks provide insight to the character, they make the story feel messy and unfocused. Like I say, there are a lot of ideas trying to be addressed here, so if they committed to telling the story in a linear fashion while including different segments of his life the film would have a better flow to it. I also didn’t think Jonas Dassler’s portrayal of the character had much depth. While he gives it a good effort, his performance didn’t match the energy of the supporting characters. Perhaps a more seasoned actor could have given Bonhoeffer’s portrayal a sharper onscreen presence.
Conclusion:
The story of a minister who risks his life in order to maintain his country’s morals is an interesting one. While the character study is undeniably gripping, the film itself has some issues in its structure. If the story would have streamlined its ideas with more focus the rest of the ideas would have been more poignant. The pacing is also lackluster as the film is far too long. This may connect with the faith based crowd since the message of spiritual independence is highlighted. I wish Bonhoeffer would have been able to do everything this well as the impact would leave a larger mark.
