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John Halder (Viggo Mortensen) is the "good" German: a shy but decent, retiring professor of literature who has just published a novel advocating compassionate euthanasia. He lives with an over-anxious wife (Anastasia Hille), two needy children and a mother with senile dementia. His book research allowed him to investigate his personal predicament further, but he chose, at some risk, to explore the subject within the twisted climate of Nazi ideology. It is not long before John's thesis arouses the interest of the Nazis, and he finds himself summoned to an interview with the local Gauleiter. The times are uncertain, and John quickly realizes that even small choices can have devastating consequences. A paying research job turns into much more as John finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into the Nazi regime. Subtle pressure is applied, and gradually meek disinterest turns into cooperation and then collusion. As John transforms, the tug-of-war in this intellectual's personal life is painful to witness. As his marriage fails, he finds himself drawn to a charismatic younger woman—and one of his students. But it is his lifelong friendship with Maurice (Jason Isaacs), a Jewish psychiatrist, that cuts deepest. As John sheds his professorial jacket for the brownshirt of the Nazi party, he finds that life, and personal choices, carry far more weight than he ever imagined.
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Professeur en littérature, John Halder (Viggo Mortensen) est l'auteur d'un livre où il prend parti en faveur de l'euthanasie. Sa plaidoirie est défendue par des personnalités politiques qui tentent de récupérer ses travaux pour légitimer la propagande du governement. Insidieusement, Halder collabore au mouvement nationale-socialiste sans réaliser que ses actions peuvent avoir des effets dévastateurs. Comme des milliers d'autres citoyens allemands, il devient un nazi avec l'intime conviction de faire le bien autour de lui. Jusqu'au jour où Halder ouvre enfin les yeux...
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Professeur en littérature, John Halder (Viggo Mortensen) est l'auteur d'un livre où il prend parti en faveur de l'euthanasie. Sa plaidoirie est défendue par des personnalités politiques qui tentent de récupérer ses travaux pour légitimer la propagande du governement. Insidieusement, Halder collabore au mouvement nationale-socialiste sans réaliser que ses actions peuvent avoir des effets dévastateurs. Comme des milliers d'autres citoyens allemands, il devient un nazi avec l'intime conviction de faire le bien autour de lui. Jusqu'au jour où Halder ouvre enfin les yeux...
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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By A. Wheeler
TOP 500 REVIEWER
Often the power of cinema is to educate. The film Good gives us an interesting historical perspective on what it was like living in Nazi Germany in the 1930's leading up to the Second World War. If one ever wonders how a large nation like Germany could have been seduced by the Nazi ideology, this film gives a little clue. Becoming a totalitarian society, it was becoming increasingly clear that membership in the Nazi party was the way to get ahead in its society and avoid persecution. You can see the powerful conformity in thought and behaviors that was becoming pervasive in Germany, in which any kind of public or even private dissent was punished severely. Fear and even terror existed amongst the population. Hence, the old saying goes something like this, "The triumph of evil is when good people remain silent."
Viggo Mortensen gives another great performance, this time playing a university professor who in the early thirties writes a novel about the need for euthanasia and mercy killing in society. This is the seed that garners the attention of the Nazi Party, who see this man as being able to articulate their murderous intentions regarding the weak and frail under the guise of human compassion.
The professor is a good and decent man, taking care of an invalid mother along with the responsibilities of husband and father, though he does later leave his wife for a younger woman. He is a political liberal who at first is shocked at the political success of the Nazis and cannot believe that they will have any staying power. His best friend is a Jew. Yet, though a series of compromises and rationalizations, he allows himself to be seduced by the benefits of being a member of the Nazi Party, and ultimately becomes a member of the SS. He sacrifices his friendship, and in the end, even fails to save the life of his Jewish friend.
We have often heard about the guilt of the German nation for allowing itself to be hijacked by psychopathic thugs and the perverse ideology they developed. If an educated and intelligent man who has a developed morality like the professor allow himself to become a Nazi is it any wonder that Germany fell prey to the intimidation and demands of conformity that the Nazis cursed it with. Obviously, this is a very complex question with many different variables, yet Good is a film that at least attempts to give us one perspective as to how this nightmare may have
evolved.
A good film that gives a good perspective on one aspect of German history in the 20th century.
Viggo Mortensen gives another great performance, this time playing a university professor who in the early thirties writes a novel about the need for euthanasia and mercy killing in society. This is the seed that garners the attention of the Nazi Party, who see this man as being able to articulate their murderous intentions regarding the weak and frail under the guise of human compassion.
The professor is a good and decent man, taking care of an invalid mother along with the responsibilities of husband and father, though he does later leave his wife for a younger woman. He is a political liberal who at first is shocked at the political success of the Nazis and cannot believe that they will have any staying power. His best friend is a Jew. Yet, though a series of compromises and rationalizations, he allows himself to be seduced by the benefits of being a member of the Nazi Party, and ultimately becomes a member of the SS. He sacrifices his friendship, and in the end, even fails to save the life of his Jewish friend.
We have often heard about the guilt of the German nation for allowing itself to be hijacked by psychopathic thugs and the perverse ideology they developed. If an educated and intelligent man who has a developed morality like the professor allow himself to become a Nazi is it any wonder that Germany fell prey to the intimidation and demands of conformity that the Nazis cursed it with. Obviously, this is a very complex question with many different variables, yet Good is a film that at least attempts to give us one perspective as to how this nightmare may have
evolved.
A good film that gives a good perspective on one aspect of German history in the 20th century.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By Christine
Amazon Verified Purchase
I've seen most of the movies that have Viggo Mortensen in its cast of players and purchased this one because he was in it. It's different from his usual type of movie that is filled with action and adventure, and the end of course brings us to the reality of what happened in World War II.
By Linda Frach
Amazon Verified Purchase
another great movie with Viggo Mortensen , would definitely recommend the dvd GOOD
the acting is done very well by all.
the acting is done very well by all.
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