Good Review

2 months ago 04th Sep 14:42

Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Jason Isaacs, Jodie Whittaker, Steven Mackintosh
Dir: Vicente Amorim
Rating: 3/5

Even since his turn in The Lord of the Rings as Aragon actor Viggo Mortensen has enjoyed a whole host of roles from a member of the Russian Mafia to cowboy and with Good sees another change of pace for the actor.

Good stars Viggo Mortensen as John Halder, a good, decent individual with family problems.

A German literature professor in the 1930s, Halder explores his personal circumstances in a novel advocating compassionate euthanasia.

When the book is unexpectedly enlisted by powerful political figures in support of government propaganda, Halder finds his career rising in an optimistic current of nationalism and prosperity.

Yet with Halder’s change in fortune, his seemingly inconsequential decisions potentially jeopardise the people in his life with devastating effects.

It's an interesting career turn for Mortensen who puts in another great performance as Halder who reluctantly becomes recruited by the Nazi party.

It's an interesting take on the Nazi regime as it looks as the party's influence over individuals and asks what makes good people become seduced by evil that they are prepared do bad things?

It's very much is a morality tale, the struggle between good and evil in the mind of one man, asking if complacency and ignorance was ever a legitimate excuse.

But where the film really fails was it inability to pack that major emotional punch and it's perhaps not as gritty and as questioning as it could have been.

But having said that it boasts a string of good performances and brings to light some very interesting questions and points that will leave you thinking when the credits roll.

Good is out on DVD now.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw