Good (2008)

	Also Known As: -
	Year of first release: 2008
	Director: Vicente Amorim
	Actors: Viggo Mortensen (The two faces of January, A history of violence), Jason Isaacs
	Country: GB, D
	Genre: Drama
	Conditions of visioning: 24.05.2014, Bluray, OV
Synopsis: John Halder (Mortensen) is a 'good' and decent individual with family problems: a neurotic wife, two demanding children and a mother suffering from senile dementia... and a Jewish friend (Isaacs). As a literary professor, Halder explores his personal circumstances in a novel advocating compassionate euthanasia. When the book is unexpectedly enlisted by powerful political figures in support of government propaganda, Halder finds his career rising in an optimistic current of nationalism and prosperity. Seemingly inconsequential decisions lead to choices, which lead to more choices...
Review: The original concept is similar to the German movie Die Welle. Anybody can become a Nazi. Nazi are not born idiots or madmen. Millions of "good" people did not see nor believe that the masses of people could be wrong and bad. "-Anything that makes people happy can't be bad, can it?" . And then the power drives the Good even worse using the fear of authority. The story by C.P. Taylor and its adaption by John Wrathall are excellent.  The acting of Mortensen is again convincing as a man confused by his context (family, friend, new woman, book burning). But something does not work. I do not know what. I did not feel involved. Maybe because the directing did not dare showing the violence and absurdity of events: Kristallnacht, War, Final Solution.
Rating: 5 /10