The story is based on the experiences of an Emory University historian who is sued in the English court systems for libel; her adversary is David Irving, a military historian who denies that the Holocaust ever happened. The cast includes three seasoned veterans: Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson, and Timothy Spall. All three are excellent, but those who like courtroom dramas will relish Wilkinson’s performance as the head of the defense team, but Spall is equally good as the pro-Hitler demagogue; his performance is strongly reminiscent of his appearances as the rat-faced villain in the Harry Potter films.
Other films that help remind us of the horrors of the Holocaust include Judgment at Nuremburg and Schindler’s List; this one uses understatement to deliver its very effective punch. The cinematography is unusually good, particularly in scenes set at Auschwitz.
Strongly recommended.