Irena’s Vow movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Irena’s Vow

This powerful Holocaust survival movie releases in theaters on April 15, 2024.

RATING: R

LENGTH: 2 hours 1 minute

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: A

IN A NUTSHELL:

Through the eyes of a strong-willed woman comes the remarkable true story of Irena Gut Opdyke and the triumphs of the human spirit over devastating tragedy. 19-year-old Irena Gut is promoted to housekeeper in the home of a highly respected Nazi officer when she finds out that the Jewish ghetto is about to be liquidated. Determined to help twelve Jewish workers, she decides to shelter them in the safest place she can think of: the basement of the German commandant’s house. Over the next two years, Irena uses her wit, humor, and courage to hide her friends until the end of the German occupation, concealing them in the midst of countless Nazi parties, a blackmail scheme, and even the birth of a child. Her story is one of the most inspiring of our time.

A famous quote by Irena Gut Opdyke is insightful: “You must understand that I did not become a resistance fighter, a smuggler of Jews, a defier of the SS and the Nazis, all at once. One’s first steps are always small. I had begun by hiding food under a fence.”

The authentic film was directed by Louise Archambault. Writing credits go to Dan Gordon who stated, “It is so much more relevant today than it was ten years ago when I wrote it.”

Already, the film has been nominated and won several film festival awards.

THINGS I LIKED:

Sophie Nelisse does an excellent job and is perfect in this role. I loved her in the movie The Book Thief, which is another excellent WWII movie.
The rest of the cast is also fantastic and includes Dougray Scott, Andrzej Seweryn, Maciej Nawrocki, and more.
I absolutely love World War II movies, probably because there are so many true stories of heroism in the battle of good vs. evil. This is yet one more amazing story.
The title
The movie poster
The first lines we hear in the movie are Polish. If you’re worried that this movie will require you to read subtitles for 2 years, you’ll be happy to know that it’s all in English after that.
Because I didn’t know anything about the true events of this story, it was very suspenseful, and I worried for Irena the entire time.
Irene’s daughter shared a touching message about the film:
It’s so easy to be consumed with our own needs, wants,and rights, that we don’t wander far beyond our own small protective circles. But the truth is that our indifference to what’s happening around us is never benign; everything we do affects someone else for either good or bad. And when we choose to do nothing-nothing is what we will reap. Can one person really make a difference? Is it true that we are all part of one human family and have a responsibility for each other? My mother certainly believed so, and if she were still alive today, she would urge you of this truth. Mom often said in her “engolish” (Polish/English accent)“If you tink only wit your head and not wit your heart, your head will tell you; ‘Dis is dangerous, don’t do dat.’ So, you must always involve your heart.” Having my mother’s voice and story told through the movie Irena’s Vow, is an honor for me. I pray many are inspired by her message of love and courage and become willing to take up the torch and pass it on. One person can make a difference.”-Janina (Jeannie) Opdyke Smith, October 2023
The film was shot across Poland, including Warsaw and Lubin. It only took them 29 days to shoot the movie.
At the end of the movie, we learn more about the events that happened next through text on the screen and photos of the real people involved in the true story.
We learn that Irena never spoke about what happened until many years later. A Holocaust denier faced her and she could no longer remain silent.
The film is dedicated to Irena Gut Opdyke, those she saved, and the six million she couldn’t. Irena died in 2002.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

It’s hard to know which elements of the movie are factual and which are “Hollywoodized.” Historians might sneer at missing details.
There are a couple of times when actual footage of the times are included. Their inclusion looks odd because they are in black and white and displayed at a different aspect ratio than the rest of the movie.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be bored.
Disgusting Nazi brutality
Brutal, bloody murder
Talk of an abortion
We see people hung in a public square to discourage citizens from hiding Jews

THEMES:

WWII
The horrors of the Holocaust
Hope
Resilience
Survival
Antisemitism
Sexual favors – where would you draw the line to save others?

FUNNY LINES:

None. This is a serious drama.

INTERESTING LINES:

“Do you know how one survives this sort of change in destiny? You look down. You look neither to the left nor the right, nor up, not even straight ahead. You look at your own two feet, taking one step at a time. What I mean is you worry about yourself; you take care of you.” – Schulz (Andrzej Seweryn)
“Sometimes survival means serving dessert.” – Schulz (Andrzej Seweryn)
“It’s not enough to save a life to simply survive. We have to live! Otherwise, the Hitlers of the world have won.” – Irena (Sophie Nelisse)
“You’re not going to help Hitler get rid of another Jewish baby…of us.” – Irena (Sophie Nelisse)