Director Simon Curtis
Starring Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl
Rated M
Score 5/6

Maria Altmann, an octogenarian Jewish refugee, takes on the Austrian government to recover artwork she believes rightfully belongs to her family.

I’m not overly familiar with director Simon Curtis’ work. Curtis has a strong background in television; though the only other movie was My Week with Marilyn. I was actually very impressed Curtis’ Woman in Gold not only because of the casting but the brilliantly touching story, this as a brilliantly structured story it was an interesting move by the filmmakers with the additional plot told through Maria Altmann’s memories of how the Altmann artwork was originally stolen by the Nazis and how Maria fled Austria to the United States of America. Before watching Woman in Gold I have to admit that I knew nothing about the art restitution claims by Jewish families in regards to Art looted by the Nazis during World War II. I’ve found a lot of the world history that I’ve been moved to personally learn about was because of a movie that I have watched. I really wish that I could remember more of it.
It was great to see Katie Holmes in a movie; it has been a while since I have seen her in anything. Helen Mirren was brilliant as usual and had a great on-screen chemistry with Ryan Reynolds. I was very impressed with Reynolds’ performance; I’ve primarily seen him as a comedic actor, though I have seen in a handful of dramatic roles. Personally, I thought that his role in Woman in Gold was a step with his dramatic acting.