Last night I noticed that Woman in Gold was playing at the Broadway, my favorite art house theater, and I got very excited! I have been looking forward to this movie for quite a while because it combines two things I really enjoy: history and art! Also, who can resist Helen Mirren? It tells the true story of Maria Altmann (Mirren) and her attempt to reclaim a Gustav Klimt painting of her aunt, stolen from her family by the Nazis, from the Austrian government. She is aided by Randol Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds), a young lawyer and family friend who is first motivated by money (the painting is worth hundreds of millions) but eventually must come to terms with what the Nazis did to his own family (he is the grandson of composer Arthur Schoenberg). The story is incredibly thought-provoking and moving and I particularly enjoyed the scenes where Maria and Randy visit Vienna (one of my favorite cities) and must both confront the demons of their past, including flashbacks of the young Maria (Tatiana Maslany) fleeing from the Nazis and a particularly affecting scene where Randy attends a concert featuring his grandfather's music. Mirren can always be relied upon for a great performance, especially as an imperious but strangely lovable older woman, but I was quite impressed by Reynolds, who is usually hit or miss with me. He more than holds his own with Dame Helen Mirren, especially in an emotional scene where he begs Maria to continue the fight. I loved this movie and I highly recommend it.
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