The Debt

In 1997, Israeli author Sarah Gold (Romi Aboulafia), the daughter of now-handicapped intelligence chief Stefan Gold (Tom Wilkinson) and former Mossad agent Rachel Singer (Helen Mirren), recounts her parents’ successful capture and killing of Nazi war criminal Dieter Vogel (Jesper Christensen) in 1960s East Berlin. David Peretz (Cirian Hinds), the third member of that Mossad team, commits suicide shortly thereafter, prompting Rachel and Stefan to revisit what really happened 30 years earlier and atone for a crucial mistake of the past.

Directed by John Madden, The Debt has a ripped-from-the-history-books premise, but it is actually a remake of an earlier Israeli film of the same name. Not having seen the original made this remake infinitely more enjoyable. The plot takes a major twist about 2/3rds of the way through, and the tension, as young Stefan (Marton Csonkas), Rachel (Jessica Chastain), and David (Sam Worthington) develop a love triangle, evade capture, and withstand Vogel’s psychological manipulation, is wonderfully thick.

While it would not be feasible to maintain the entirety of this tension throughout, the parts which are slack stand out considerably. So much weight is placed on the 1960s scenes that by the time the story shifts back to the present, you forget you are watching the same movie. The conclusion, while necessary to resolve the plot, also strained credulity in its execution.

Unevenness aside, the acting here is top-notch. Christensen is cagey and slyly monstrous as the ex-Nazi doctor, and both the past and present versions of the three agents are well-rendered. Notably, Wilkinson adds complexity to an increasingly unsympathetic role and Worthington gives a subdued performance as the sensitive David. Make no mistake about it, though: Mirren owns this film. From the accent to the emotional baggage to the age-appropriate hesitations and concerns to the ultimate triumph of will in the conclusion, she imbues the older Rachel with strength, integrity, and conviction.

The Debt probably won’t generate any Oscar buzz, but its artful presentation and powerful message of responsibility mean that it should not be ignored.

7.75/10