Good (2008)

A Literature professor is coopted by the Nazis because he dealt with the subject of euthanasia in a novel of his. He becomes involved with the Nazi party. In his personal life he has to deal with an aloof wife and a physically deteriorating mother; he gets involved with one of his former students. Also, he must deal with the plights of a Jewish friend.

This is an intelligent film, which investigates the meaning of evil (the irony of the title is evident). Nazi Germany is of course one of the most obviously adequate settings for this sort of investigation, although I am sure there are plenty of other places or situations which could be chosen instead. The film proceeds through a concatenation of events (some external, and some of his own doing) which put the main character in progressively untenable situations. He somehow doesn't seem to grasp their logic (but we do). The effect achieved is tragicomedy, a difficult style, and consequently no small accomplishment. It has been noted by user mackjay2 of IMDB that the main character's situation and behavior is similar to those of character Erik Dorf in Holocaust (1978). I further point out that Good's leading actor has shaped his performance in an identical (or almost) manner as that of the player of that character in Holocaust.

According to the film's credits it is based on C.P. Taylor's 1981 play. For what it is worth (I have not read or seen that play), that play came out 3 years after Holocaust.

Rating: 67