I went to see this film in the cinema when it was first released and have just returned to it on DVD; meanwhile it has very unjustly faded into obscurity, while far less thoughtful movies have mined gold. It stars John Cusack who like Jeff Bridges is a sorely underrated actor and one who brings a professional intelligence to all of his roles. He was an associate producer on this film and took no salary to ensure that such a controversial picture could be made. Set in Munich in 1918, Cusack plays an ex-soldier who has lost an arm in the war, which means he can no longer paint, but coming from a rich Jewish family he has the means to start an expressionist art gallery in an old foundry and to continue his urbane and somewhat debauched life. Here he meets another veteran who believes he has an artistic gift -- his name: Adolf Hitler! Played by quirky character actor Noah Taylor, this Hitler might have found quite a different future were he not so embittered and if he possessed just a wee bit more talent.
The film is not based on a true story, but it is a fine example of the "what if" genre. Cusack tries to be kind and can even see an artistic showing for Hitler's fascistic sketches, but the gulf between the two men is too great and the temptation for the latter to use political demagogery as his escape proves too easy. In a brilliant bit of montage, the director cuts between Cusack at prayer with his father and Taylor rabble-rousing. How these two scenes merge is the nub of the story. A Hungarian/Canadian/UK production written and directed by Dutchman Menno Meyjes -- his first released film to date -- the movie deserved to make more impact, since it is a brave and sincere portrait of how the quirks of fate can affect the world.
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