Son of Saul

Dir: László Nemes

2015

****

László Nemes' astonishing 2015 drama deals with the Sonderkommandos working in the Nazi extermination camps, in this case Auschwitz. The film follows Saul, a shadow of a man who has developed an autopilot-like state of mind who helps lead Jews into the gas chambers and cleans them out once everyone is dead. Seen as the ultimate traitors, Son of Saul puts a much more realistic truth behind the Sonderkommandos and what they were forced to do. One day a boy is discovered to have survived the gas and is brought out for medical opinion. While a Nazi officer strangles the boy dead, Saul suddenly realizes that the boy is his own son. He then focuses his attention at giving the boy a proper Jewish burial, at all costs. It is as harrowing as it sounds, immensely powerful viewing but often uncomfortable to witness. The film is shot in shallow focus and has actor Géza Röhrig's head and shoulders constantly in centre picture. This constant portrait gives the film a focused edge and Röhrig's brilliant performance is enhanced. However, as ground-breaking as it is, it becomes rather frustrating to watch after a short time. This isn't like any other film that deals with the concentration camps or the holocaust. There is no melodrama, cheap tricks and not is it dishonest. There is a great modesty to the film which is where its greatest achievement lies. I just wish it had been filmed in a different format. It could be argued that it would then be a totally different film but I longed for there to be at least one long short before the end credits rolled and I think the film could have benefited from it. The experience this way of filming gave isn't without credit but when it distracts from the story at hand then I'm not sure it really achieved what it intended to. That said, Son of Saul is all about the performances. The script is simple and precise but it is the actor’s eyes that make the film what it is. The last scene is bold, unexpected and somewhat open to interpretation but the best I've seen for a while. It is suitably haunting, tastefully handled and a stark reminder of the horror experienced by these people. Maybe the way it is filmed should be applauded for the way it effects the viewer, as director Lars Von Trier once said, "a film should be like a stone in your shoe", I'm really not sure, but it isn't a film I will forget.