In Darkness

[a_person]

To see a trailer or rate this film, please click here »



Directed by Agnieszka Holland
Starring: Robert Wieckiewicz, Benno Fürmann and Agnieszka Grochowska

Plot: A dramatization of one man's rescue of Jewish refugees in the Nazi-occupied Polish city of Lvov.

IMDB

Get free tickets on the forum for Friday 2nd December 2011

Get free tickets on the forum for Tuesday 13th March 2012

[a_person]

Is there a trailer available for this on trailer addict that I can edit into my post?

[Beate]

I would have actually really liked to see this especially as I don't think there will be a wide release over here but it started so late and goes on so long that I knew I'd be dead on my feet, having started yawning during Into the Abyss already.

Would be interesting to know how full the cinema was. It's not a typical Friday night film, is it: "Let's go out and watch a film - hey, how about a 2 1/2 hour movie in German and Polish about some Jews hiding in an underground tunnel during the war? That sounds fun?" Not.

[sikmansam]

An Oscar nominee this year for Best Foreign-Language Film, In Darkness tells the story of Socha (Robert Wieckiewicz), a Lvov sewer worker who, although anti-Semitic, hides a handful of Jews in the sewers in exchange for a monthly stipend. But as suspicions amongst his superiors rise, and the war takes a sour turn across Poland, Socha's family and life become targets. The film stars Robert Wieckiewicz, Agnieszka Grochowska and Kinga Preis alongside German actors including Benno Furmann and Maria Schrader.

Agnieszka Holland is a two-time Oscar nominee, having received a Best Foreign Language Film nomination in 1986 for Angry Harvest and a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination for Europa, Europa in 1992. Holland has made a name for herself in recent years directing high-end television series, including episodes of The Wire, Cold Case, Treme and AMC's The Killing.

In Darkness will be released in cinemas on Friday, March 16, but Times+ members can see it first at special preview screenings at 16 screens nationwide on Tuesday, March 13 at 6.30pm.

This event will be available to book soon.

[soonforgotten]

This is a very, very good film, but serious shaky cam alert here, folks.

http://londonfilmfanatiq.com/2012/03/12/in-darkness/

[elski]

Very good, very long but got very absorbing towards the end as it's the kind of film where pretty much anyone can die so it does keep you hooked.

9/10

[Beate]

I was strangely disappointed by this. Yes, story needs telling, etc. but the camera work was seriously shaky, it was so dark that you couldn't see the faces half the time and I could not distinguish some of the characters. They weren't really given backstories and it was just all too long. Yes, Schindler's List was long too, but my God, it draws you in and captivates you. This one somehow didn't, although a lot of the scenes were properly harrowing. It just sat there thinking why is that guy talking in German and that guy talking back in Polish and yet they understand each other? There were some German actors in there who I am sure don't understand a word of Polish otherwise so I found that all very strange.

It was lovely to see MrG (only FMUKer around I think), and I am seriously starting to like the Odeon Surrey Quays. They are nice and efficient there, it always seems to be the same screen, the legroom and incline are good, and so far the audience too. First time we went there we saw The Artist, and it was deadly quiet. Tonight the older Times generation was present and largely behaved, apart from one woman who texted a few times, then left half way through. The cinema wasn't very full either.

7/10

[funthing29]

I'm really glad I chose this over Contraband. It is a powerful film, at times uncomfortable to watch, but gripping nonetheless. It does have a long running time at 145 minutes, but the film never felt like it dragged. A refreshing change from the usual Hollywood fare. 8/5/10.

The staff at Holloway were rather useless tonight. During the last hour, they kept popping in to the screen to clean it, only to be surprised the film was still going. Don't they know the start and finish times?

[raj101]

funny about the start end times, our screening ran right up to 8.50, and The Artist was then due to start in ten minutes.

One might be tempted to watch another movie, given that this was in Polish, but if one did one would be rather foolish. This movie was the best thing on in Kingston Odeon today (though the competition is John Carter and This Means War hmm). A harrowing ride of life and death thats literally in the dark for most of the movie.

One guy looked the doppelganger of Daniel Craig so I found it difficult to stop comparing this to Defiance, the film about the Jews escaping Nazis in the woods. This movie however lacked the Hollywood polarity of heroes and villains, taking great pains to convey the Machiavellian or even backstabbing attitudes on all sides, from the Gentile to the grocery store lady. Its the very opposite of the bon homie in 'The Way Back'.

9/10.

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

God this was harrowing and pretty depressing but the story which it is based on is a true one and is a good story to tell on film. It is hard to say what I feel about the experience of watching it though. I didnt enjoy the journey. But then I am not supposed to. I felt horrified at some very sharply filmed atrocities. But I suppose that's what the film makers want me to feel. The film wants the viewer to feel and live the vulnerable life of the victimised Jews hiding in the sewers living in fear day be day during the Nazi occupation. I think they achieved that effect as I certainly didnt feel any happiness in watching it. But there is a good story and it may or may not end well, you just dont know until you reach the end, this is after all a sort re-enacted reality. There are also several moments of incredibly high tension and fear.

The craftsmanship of the film is not all good though. The drama was very well done (and very very well acted) but the way its shot, gave me a bit of a headache. The lighting was abysmal. Yes I know, its called In Darkness and we're in the sewers but much of the time I was confused with who is who, doing what with what and who's doing who (despite the conditions, love and lust, still prevail). I suppose the film makers want us to be in the dark too but you have to strike a balance and not try the viewer's patience with coherency. There was a lot of shaky camera work as Beate mentioned but I only noticed it at the beginning which was quite disorientating, it was just too dark for the rest of the film for me to notice if it was shaking or not!

I am very glad to have seen the film. It is a good film and covers some compelling issues and even has interesting romantic sub plots but it suffers a great deal in its pacing and a lack of real dynamic in its narrative. But all in all, it accomplished its main objective.

8/10

Beate, thanks for introducing me to the Premiere seats, lol. I go there so many times and never knew of those seats! I'll have to admit though, they make me slide off, you probably notice I had to keep sitting up again several times. And it was funny seeing you sit in it, you looked like Hermione sitting in Hagrid's chair with your feet dangling inches off the floor.