Max

An odd movie to watch, not for its content, or philosophy, or performances--more for the whole, inconsistent package. Director Menno Meyjes shows a strong visual style, and an intriguing willingness to let a scene play out in silence. The screenplay includes some interesting expressions of artistic philosophy, particularly in the exchanges between Noah Taylor's young Adolf Hitler and his Jewish quasi-friend, art dealer Max Rothman (John Cusack). The film crackles when they are on screen together. Otherwise, the pace is slow and the performances ordinary, and some of the philosophical underpinnings of Nazism are presented in a ham-handed fashion. Probably worth it for history buffs (though this is fiction) and those with an artistic bent; others might not want to bother.