Movie Review-The Debt: Don't F**k Around with the Mossad

Its Whitesboro (still....I know), and its raining. I know you are thinking "guess your gotta kill yourself, huh?", but luckily we have a movie theater in the area, so we can't despair (yet). Movie season is beginning to heat up, there are now a good handful of movies that I think might be worth shelling out for, so I might be contributing quite a bit to Marquee Cinema's profits in the coming days. "The Debt" has been on my radar since its early September release, and kicked-off the movie bonanza. How was it?

Fantastic. "The Debt" is a very, very good movie. Of course, with Tom Wilkinson and Helen Mirren in the film, its already got an advantage coming out of the gate. But the other actors perform more than admirably, and even steal the show. The story is set in both 1967 and 1997, told in flashbacks and bits of the present (well, 1997 anyways). In 1967, three Mossad agents are sent to East Berlin to capture a former Nazi concentration camp doctor known as the "Doctor of Berkinau" and then bring him to Israel to stand trial. Marton Csokas (whom some of you will probably remember from the Bourne Supremacy and his famous fight scene with Jason), Sam Worthington, who appears to be quickly moving up the ladder in Hollywood, and Jessica Chastain, the first time I have seen her, play the young agents in 1967. Wilkinson plays the older version of Csokas' character, Ciaran Hinds is the elder Sam Worthington, and of course Mirren is an older Chastain. I will not explain why there was the need for the story to be told in flashbacks, for I could only do so and give away the story, which is very much worth seeing. The acting from all of the above mentioned is top-notch, even Jesper Christiansen playing the doctor puts in a good shift. I was particularly impressed with the young crowd. I have only seen Worthington in "Clash of Titans", which is a shitty way to a judge an actor, but he looks promising. Same thing for Chastain, who I hear also did well in that movie "The Help". Csokas usually gets placed in secondary roles, and I was glad to see him excel in a more prominent role. Wilkinson and Mirren of course a just a pleasure to watch. 'Nuff said.

The movie itself, there really isn't much you can say, you just have to see it. I loved it. Its filled with suspense, and interesting story, and a clever way of telling it as well. The acting is really gravy. I was afraid that this would just be another "Munich", a story of Israeli revenge, but it wasn't, and I actually think it was better, thanks to some neat plot elements. "The Debt" is a keeper.

Verdict: See it. Grade: A

If you liked this movie you might also like: Well, I kind of let the cat out of the bag, but Munich is still a pretty good movie. Other than that, just watch Mirren or Wilkinson, you won't regret it.