Adam Resurrected (2008)

You won't be disappointed!

Too much of everything

The story-telling is good with flashbacks.The film is both funny and heartbreaking. You smile in a scene and get a soulcrushing revelation in the next.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

This is a thought provoking movie. The acting of Jeff Goldblum is just outstanding. Willem Dafoe as usual is one great actor as well.This is a serious movie and an introspection in self. It is not a war oriented movie but a sad story about a man who is so misunderstood by his family and the world. Is he really wrong ? you will undergo the journey in this man's shoes. Not a hero but a survivor who survived by being a dog, a gifted one who did all he can to survive... was it fear of losing his life that he obeyed his masters or is it a total surrender he adopted towards those who were committing atrocities. It is surrender of all self respect, dignity and ego as that of a perfect slave. Did Adam really regret what he did and why he did ? This movie does not judge the character but takes you on a journey, a journey of introspection of someone you never want to be but may admire.

Paul Schrader's latest film concerns Adam Stein, a patient in a mental hospital caring for those who suffered during the Holocaust. Adam was once a great comedy performer known through out Germany. Haunted by the past when he had to act as a dog for the Commandant of the camp as well as play violin for the prisoners as they went into the gas chambers, Adam is just trying to get by. He refuses to deal with his past until a small boy who thinks he's a dog shows up at the hospital.The film is more magical realism than stark reality (Adam has a psychic ability) and is more an allegory of the the struggle of people to survive. It is a Holocaust tale to be sure, but the implications of its themes apply to everyone's life. Are we all not a little mad? Are we all not locked in our own prisons? I'm not sure the film is wholly successful in exploring all of its themes but at the same time it is one huge helping of food for thought.The real find of the film is Jeff Goldblum. Sure we all knew he is a great actor, but I for one never really knew how great he was. Here he goes through every emotion imaginable. He is funny and touching and heart breaking and human. He becomes Adam Stein, disappearing into the role so completely that you stop thinking its an actor and instead see him as the character. Its a masterful performance that unjustly got overlooked by the Oscars.If you want to see a fantastic performance in a dark, but hopeful tale, see this film. It will stay with you.

Jeff acting is great, like always. It's the whole theme of the movie, dark and just a little wacky at times, like getting turned on if the woman barks like a dog. I would totally understand if this movie was based on a true story and the movie is a interpretation of the book or something, but it's not. It's fiction story based on a holocaust survivor. Just makes you think what's going on inside of the head of these writers to write such a fictional event. Relating a human to a dog and getting turned on by watching a human bark like a dog. It maybe disturbing for some, and I see the reason why HowardStern found it disturbing as well.Acting/performance is great, director shot is great. Just a shame so much talent and performance went into a fictional storyline that's a bit on the disturbing side.

While the purpose of the comments here (to my understanding) are to help folks decide if they wish to see a film, I for one do not understand why it seems so important for some reviews to be so specifically critical. In fact "Author: uncertain from Poland" said it best "turn it off" but left out the most important part. That is His (or) Her opinion. So some did not like the film, then "turn it off" or don't watch it. But to react in such a ugly manor at makes it appear you have the only correct opinion as to the rest of humanity that might wish to see it? I just do not understand.While I may be just a "goy" and due to my upbringing, understand very little about the horrors and joys Jewish history. I for one found this film an excellent escape from my current reality. Showing yet another piece of "what could be", exposing more history that is too often swept under the rug. Isn't that what films are suppose to do? Provide some escape and provoke thought?"Never Again" rings so true, and those that some how managed to survive and continue I would imagine would all applaud the combined efforts of all the actors, directors, and staff for producing such a great film.If you do not like what you are seeing, stop looking, change the channel, if one has to be so negative (to sleep at night) I feel sorry for them. But attempt to control what I can view and think? Well, that is a battle left alone, as I tire of stooping to their level to acknowledge them. While everyone does have a right to their point of view, too many seem to think the world revolves around them, and not around us.I have been a fan of Mr Goldblum for many years, and this is (in my humble opinion) his best performance yet! I will be so very disappointed if he is not awarded an Academy Award for his performance in this movie. Dark as it may have been. Well worth seeing.