Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski and a True Story movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Remember This

This dramatic film premieres in select theaters on January 27, 2023

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 35 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: A

IN A NUTSHELL:

In a virtuoso solo performance, Academy Award-nominee David Strathairn (Nomadland, Good Night, and Good Luck, Lincoln) portrays Jan Karski in this genre-defying true story of a reluctant World War II hero and Holocaust witness. After surviving the devastation of the Blitzkrieg, Karski swears allegiance to the Polish Underground and risks his life to carry the first eyewitness reports of war-torn Poland to the Western world, and ultimately, the Oval Office. Escaping a Gestapo prison, bearing witness to the despair of the Warsaw ghetto, and confronted by the inhumanity of a death camp, Karski endures unspeakable mental anguish and physical torture to stand tall in the halls of power and speak the truth. Strathairn captures the complexity and legacy of this self-described “insignificant, little man” whose timely story of moral courage and individual responsibility can still shake the conscience of the world.

The film takes a bold, elegant and expressionistic approach to cinematically transform the original stage play on which REMEMBER THIS is based and to provide an intense and intimate theatricality rarely experienced on screen. A minimalist visual aesthetic and the simplicity of the space—a table and two chairs, shot in black-and-white—captures Strathairn’s dynamic one-man performance in all of its nuance and power, as he not only becomes Jan Karski, but channels over thirty characters from Karski’s extraordinary life. Filmed in the shooting style of a continuous shot, the audience is drawn into Karski’s world and memories, and invited to experience the journey along with him as though Jan Karski is speaking directly to all of us across time, space, and history.

THINGS I LIKED:

Solo performances have always impressed me. David Strathairn is a wonder. I hope he’s nominated for an Oscar for his stellar performance.
We see a video clip of the real Jan Karski that is heartbreaking.
This powerful film asks important and soul-searching questions such as “What is your responsibility as an individual?”
This would be a very good stage play. One man, one table, one chair. That’s it!
I like what the director did to keep the scenes interesting through his use of light, props, and movement.
It just boggles my mind that the Holocaust actually happened. We can never forget. We must always remember so that history doesn’t repeat itself.
It’s fascinating to learn about Jan Karski who was a Polish World War II resistance fighter and diplomat. Born in 1914 in Lodz, Poland, he was a member of the Polish Underground and served as a courier between the Polish government-in-exile and resistance groups in occupied Poland. He was one of the first people to report on the Holocaust and the extermination of Jews in Nazi-occupied Europe to the Allied governments.In 1942, Karski was tasked by the Polish government to provide eyewitness accounts of the atrocities being committed against Jews and other minority groups. He met with British and American government officials and presented his testimony, but was met with skepticism and disbelief. Despite this, he continued to work for the Polish resistance and was eventually captured by the Gestapo in 1944. He escaped from a train bound for a concentration camp and made his way back to England.
After the war, Karski emigrated to the United States and became a professor at Georgetown University, where he taught courses on political science and ethics. He wrote several books, including “Story of a Secret State” which is a memoir of his experiences as a courier during the war.

Jan Karski was widely recognized for his efforts to raise awareness about the Holocaust and was honored with numerous awards and accolades, including the highest civilian honors from Poland, Israel, and the United States. He died in 2000, but his legacy as a witness to the horrors of the Holocaust and a champion of human rights continues to inspire people around the world.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Not all viewers enjoy artsy-fartsy films like this. If you give it a chance, you will be richly rewarded with a powerful performance and some truly important questions we must all answer.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be bored.
Torture and other atrocities are mentioned.
A man strips down to his underwear.

THEMES:

Choice and accountability
WWII
Murder and genocide
Humanity
Politics
History
Standing against evil
Courage

FUNNY LINES:

None. This is a serious drama.

INTERESTING LINES:

“Human beings have an infinite capacity to ignore things that are not convenient.” – Jan Karski (David Strathairn)
“Governments have no souls. Individuals have souls.” – Jan Karski (David Strathairn)
“Always remember. Remember.” – Jan Karski (David Strathairn)
“This sin will haunt humanity through the end of time.” – Jan Karski (David Strathairn)