The movie is almost accurately based on a true story of a famous pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish Jew who, against all odds, survived World War II amidst German invasion. The movie opens with his highly dexterous performance for Warsaw Radio in 1939 Poland. German bombardment causes mayhem which affected the radio station, and sends the pianist home early where he resides in an upscale apartment with a close and loving family.

By order of Germany Nazi, Jews of Warsaw relocates in a ghetto, where extermination begins slowly. Much of the story is seen in Szpilman’s perspective, thus transports us to a state of fear, repulsion and bewilderment as he experiences the ghetto. A Jewish officer saves Szpilman from being sent to the death camps, and then on struggles to survive, with musical inspiration and passion of a pianist that kept him alive.

One Stop Critique:

This is perhaps Roman Polanski’s best work in his fifty or so years of film directing experience. Szpilman’s story, along with Polanski’s photography, powerfully captivates the minds, in a dreary but well-appreciated manner, with a strong presentation of Nazi mercilessness, Jewish vulnerability, and an individual’s will power to live (the main message of the story).

There is a flaw that is probably impossible for Polanski to avoid. The pianist’s determination for survival also contains another message; to sustain selfishness. He fled from fighting the Nazi’s with his fellow Jews of the ghetto, and showed weak emotions towards the execution of his non-Jew friends who helped his hiding. It is probably a dilemma for Polanski to face as he chose to limit himself from changing the true-life story.

Adrien Brody played Wladyslaw Szpilman with passion and diligence. Thus character development of the pianist is top rated, as well as the Szpilman family which effectively portrayed beloved qualities and closeness set up to be heartbreakingly torn apart. It really hits you in the stomach, as what a powerful film should do.