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Movies Forum Index » Movie Reviews Forum » Review: The Memory Thief (2007)
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| Steve Rhodes |
 Posted: Fri Apr 18, 2008 12:28 am |
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THE MEMORY THIEF
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2008 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): **
Even though Mira's (Rachel Miner) father, played by Jerry Adler, lived
through the horrors of Auschwitz, she wants nothing to do with Holocaust
films. "They all die at the end, and Nazis did it," she tells Lukas (Mark
Webber), a new acquaintance of hers.
Lukas, who isn't Jewish, becomes obsessed with the suffering of the Jews. A
guy overcome with an ever increasing amount of delusion, he goes to work as
a helper on a project to interview concentration camp survivors. This is
precisely the wrong job for him, as he attempts to transform his life so
that he can vicariously experience their suffering.
THE MEMORY THIEF has moments in which it drifts into black comedy, but it's
mainly a drama, which would probably work better on the stage. On the big
screen, it becomes at best a curiosity piece, as we never believe any of it
for a minute, even though we do admire the acting.
When we meet Lukas, he is working his day job as a toll taker. Reading
"Mein Kampf" in his booth easily upsets some of his customers. By the
film's end, he has taken to wearing large yellow stars of David on his
clothing and has put a "Arbeit Macht Frei" sign on prominent display in his
booth. In many ways, he transforms himself into both a Nazi persecutor and
a Jewish victim. His whole life becomes one big hair shirt.
As Lukas's life goes straight downhill, Mira complains that he "feeds off of
pain like a vampire drinks blood." Filled with irony, the story gives Lukas
a mutt whom he names Jesus and who is going to be gassed.
It's a quirky story from start to finish, but I never found it a compelling
one.
THE MEMORY THIEF runs 1:35. It is not rated but might be an R and would be
acceptable for teenagers.
The film opens in limited release in the United States on Friday, May 9,
2008. The movie was shown recently at the Camera Cinema Club
(http://www.cameracinemas.com) of Campbell and San Jose, where writer and
director Gil Kofman was present for the Q and A.
Web: http://www.InternetReviews.com
Email: Steve.Rhodes@InternetReviews.com
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