THE GIST: An Austrian farmer and conscientious objector refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II, suffering jail time and the threat of execution for treason.Based on a true story, A Hidden Life is not an easy movie to watch.
For one, it's a Terrence Malick film, so it takes its time building the characters and threading the narrative. Malick is like a poet who uses moving images to write his compositions, so it's not for everyone's tastes. His movies look flawless for the attention to detail, but they can feel endless and puzzling as well.
And then there is the story itself, with a man who's willing to sacrifice his freedom, his future with a wife and kids he loves, and even his life in the service of his faith and his ideals.
Costumes, makeup, sets, and score are all perfect and so are the actors, especially August Diehl and Valerie Pachner.
THE BOTTOM LINE: If you like Malick's work don't let the subject matter stop you. This is a beautiful ode to human consciousness. Just be ready to settle in for a while with these characters.
Grade: 8
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