The Monuments Men sounded good on paper and looked good in theory but turned out to be less-than-satisfactory in practice. In spite of boasting a killer premise – the WWII-set tale followed a misfit bunch of allied soldiers out to reclaim priceless works of art stolen by the Nazis – it sadly failed to work on the big screen.
So perhaps the next film from My Week With Marilyn helmer, Simon Curtis, should be approached with a similar amount of caution. His take on the subject, Woman In Gold, revolves around Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren) a Jewish refugee who decides to reclaim one of her family’s paintings stolen by Nazis. The difference here is that Altmann took up her battle in her 80s, so she enlists lawyer Randol Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds) to aid in her quest to locate Gustav Klimt’s The Lady In Gold.
The pair take on the Austrian government during their mission, which for the most part takes place in present day with the occasional flashback to Altmann’s past. There’s shades of Philomena to the story, with an older woman seeking the help of a younger professional, and much like Judi Dench’s turn in the 2013 tear-jerker, Mirren is on top form. Sharp wit and a mothering instinct over Reynolds’ straight lawyer means we could be seeing another awards nod for her next year.
Woman In Gold co-stars Daniel Brühl, Katie Holmes, Tatiana Maslany, Charles Dance, Elizabeth McGovern, Jonathan Pryce and Frances Fisher, and is set for release April 3rd, 2015.
Academy Award winner Helen Mirren stars in the incredible story of Maria Altmann, a Jewish refugee who is forced to flee Vienna during World War II. Decades later, determined to salvage some dignity from her past, Maria has taken on a mission to reclaim a painting the Nazis stole from her family: the famous Lady In Gold, a portrait of her beloved Aunt Adele. Partnering with an inexperienced but determined young lawyer (Ryan Reynolds), Maria embarks on an epic journey for justice 60 years in the making.
Published: Dec 22, 2014 05:49 pm