Denial

Before starting this review, I should probably reveal that I am the type of person who will spend months reading about a particular subject. Its a quirk of my personality that I actually quite like and make no apologies for. 

The reason that its important to state this before this review is that one of the subjects I have read almost obsessively about is the Holocaust from an ordinary Jewish person’s perspective. I openly wept at Primo Levi and Władysław Szpilman’s memoirs and find it very difficult to comprehend how anyone could deny such a horrific event.

So Denial was an obvious choice for a Tuesday night film viewing…

The film is based on the true-life libel court case that David Irving (Timothy Spall), a notorious Houlocaust denier and Hitler apologist, brought against Deborah Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz), a respected academic specialising in Jewish history. The suit was brought because Lipstadt had stated in her book Denying the Holocaust that Irving’s writings and public statements were Houlocast denial. 

As the trial is to take place in London, Lipstadt engages solicitor Anthony Julius (Andrew Scott) and barrister Richard Rampton (Tom Wilkinson) to fight the case whereas Irving decides to represent himself. 

The film takes us on a journey through the complex English legal system, differences between what feels right and what is the best way to win, via an emotional visit to Auschwitz, and ends up in the high court in a tense, eloquent and fascinating battle between Irving and Rampton.

Some people may find this film a touch stagey, but personally I thought it was excellent. All the main characters were played brilliantly with the battle of intellects between Irving and Rampton as thrilling as any action film I’ve seen.  

Verdict: An excellent, moving and inspired courtroom drama with real punch and particular relevance in today’s new ‘alternative facts’ world.