Film Review: ‘Nuremberg’ is a Livelier Than Expected Historical Drama

Once upon a time, a movie like Nuremberg was a dime a dozen. Historical dramas about major moments in American history, especially when filtered through a few specific real life individuals, used to dominate theaters, as well as the Academy Awards. These days, they’re somewhat rarer, hardly as high profile, and no sure thing for Oscar attention. At the same time, that comparative scarcity does mean that when a solid one comes along, it’s easier to appreciate. While flawed, Nuremberg is exactly that kind of flick. What easily could have felt like homework instead ends up reasonably entertaining.

Nuremberg surprises in that it has a lively personality at times, which pops up enough to take away any of the negative feelings you might have from seeing the expected sequences play out exactly as expected. This is hardly a surprising or groundbreaking work, to be sure. Instead, it’s just doing an old fashioned thing in a way that pleases more than it doesn’t.

This is the story of how the world, led by the United States, opted to deal with the Nazi high command at the conclusion of World War II. While Congress pushed for a speedy execution rather than a trial with all of its potential curveballs, one man insisted otherwise. That man was chief U.S. prosecutor Robert H. Jackson (Michael Shannon), who pushed for a first of its kind international tribunal. When one is finally settled on, the surviving Hitler underlings are set for prosecution, with none a higher profile than Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring (Russell Crowe).

While Jackson is preparing the case for what would be the Nuremberg trials, American Army psychiatrist Douglas Kelley (Rami Malek) is brought in to evaluate the defendants. Of his nearly two dozen patients, Göring is not only the main focus, but also the one to form a strange bond with him. Alongside his interpreter Sgt. Howie Triest (Leo Woodall), Göring and Kelley talk, with the former sizing the latter up, while the latter tries to figure out his psychological profile, in the hope of giving Jackson something to use in court. If they put him on the stand and he shows Jackson up, could he give hope to the Nazis? With the goal being to prevent this sort of thing from ever happening again, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

Russell Crowe and Michael Shannon are best in show here, with the former doing his best work in some time. It’s quite the task to make a monster like Hermann Göring someone you’re willing to watch on screen, but he finds the disturbing charisma in the man. Crowe has not been this good in years. Shannon could easily have anchored his own film, as Robert Jackson’s story is utterly fascinating. Finding a way to have Jackson filter through Shannon’s specific talents, you really identify with his humanity, his humility, and the task he’s subjected himself to. It’s stirring work, with more than a bit of humor. Rami Malek is fine, though there’s surprisingly less to his character than any of the more supporting players. Folks like Richard E. Grant and John Slattery don’t have a ton to do, but are welcome presences in complimentary roles, while Leo Woodall was much better served by something like Tuner. The rest of the cast includes Colin Hanks, Mark O’Brien, Lydia Peckham, Wrenn Schmidt, and Lotte Verbeek, as well as many others.

Filmmaker James Vanderbilt is fascinated by this particular part of World War II, as well as the potential parallels to Nazis and today. Sometimes, it feels like Vanderbilt thinks he’s breaking news, but at other times, there’s a rhythm to the banter/dialogue that suggests a poor man’s Aaron Sorkin. Those moments are what fuels the narrative, especially when things slow down over the course of the nearly two and a half hour run time. When things get to the trial, however, everything ratchets up a notch. Throw in some very handsome visuals and Vanderbilt’s writing and directing are up to the task of a large scale work like this.

Nuremberg is too long and a little bit pleased with itself at times, but there’s no denying the strength of the Crowe and Shannon performances, as well as the way the highs of a movie like this tend to outweigh the lows. It’s not the kind of film that’s going to dominate awards season, but as a throwback flick, it more than does the job.

SCORE: ★★★