The Survivor

Although there are some trite choices, the overall feeling and impression of the film leaves you feeling choked by the visceral realness of the trauma of Harry Haft. Scenes are concise and carefully placed to reveal the strife of someone living in galvanizing shame and remorse for his actions. The search for his love, who was taken to a camp for being Jewish in Poland during 1937, is his guiding light forward to survive.

Watch without expectation, and let the story wash over you. If you're reading this review even now while watching the film, you're likely to miss the effect. Yes there are old stars in it. Yes there are nose prosthetics. Yes we've seen many many many films about this Holocaust.

But this one is about a human life, surviving through the most extreme and dire circumstances. It's worth giving the excellent direction, cinematography, sound engineering, and deeply textured performance of Ben Foster a chance to grab at your heartstrings.