“Resistance” is a term that has experienced increased traction within our culture over the past few years, both the word in general and as a concept. As American politics become increasingly polarized and controversies continue to mount, much of the populace is left wondering how best to register their dissatisfaction and prevent what they view as injustice from spreading. Whenever we look back at societies past, all of us envision ourselves as heroes in the stories; ready to stand up to tyranny and help whoever needs it reach freedom, safety, or whatever equity they seek. But quote one of boxing’s great champion fighters, everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. Doing the right thing in the face of great pressure or even threats to one’s life is easier said than done and most likely, not something we know that we’ll do until faced with the decision. When the time comes, how will you choose to fight back, if at all?
Before he became the most famous mime to ever live, Marcel Marceau was born Marcel Mangel (Jesse Eisenberg), an aspiring actor of Jewish descent who lived in the tiny town of Strasbourg in southern France with his strict father Charles (Karl Markovics) and brother Alain (Felix Moati). In this biopic set just before World War II, we find Marcel after anti-semetic violence in Germany has left dozens of young children orphaned and he, Alain, their cousin Georges (Geza Rohrig), and two sisters Emma (Clémence Poésy) and Mila (Vica Kerekes) find themselves hiding the children. After the war in Europe begins, Marcel finds himself faced with a choice about what he will do in trying times to fight back against an existential threat. His choice could have a profound impact not only on his life, but the lives of thousands.
Resistance is marked by an unevenness in its first half, switching from comedy, to a bit of romance, to potential action thriller, to uplifting. While the mix of tones makes for shaky footing at first, it also gives rise to the film’s theme examining the nature of resistance, specifically, which method of fighting back is best, subtle resistance or using force? When Marcel first decides to join the French Resistance following the Nazis’ invasion of the country, it is as a fighter embarking on operations to disrupt German occupiers. But following a brutal loss for Marcel and his fellow resistance fighters, he comes to realize that he may be better served resisting through saving others, notably Jewish children trapped behind the curtain of the Third Reich, rather than trying to topple a military giant through force. While charging at the Nazis gun blazing may have felt better, Marcel’s decision to save lives rather than take had a long-lasting effect on what would come to be thousands of lives not just during the war, but for the thousands of descendants of the children he saved. Marcel was hesitant to join the resistance because of his artistic, non-aggressive personality, but he came to find that he didn’t need to be bombastic to have a seismic effect on the world around him. In his story, we can take away lessons that can be applied to our own lives. Making a difference takes many forms and whatever one chooses, they are capable of leaving a lasting mark even if the actions themselves are quiet and small.
Despite the mixed bag in terms of its narrative, Resistance features some of the most intense and terrifying moments in a film this year. An interrogration scene involving Emma and Mila is a powerfully tense moment that underscores what Nazis were.The film’s villain Lt. Klaus Barbie is played wonderfully by Matthias Schweighöfer who embodies not only the brutality necessary to play a high level member of the Nazi regime, but is given a layered characterization by director Jonathan Jakubowicz that juxtaposes his cruelty with a non-work life of devotion to his wife and newborn daughter. This portrayal of how multifaceted a Nazi higher-up can be emphasizes the banality of evil that marks such terrible regimes. Often times, we portray participants in these movements as over-the-top evil, but instead they are often made of people some may see as otherwise pleasant so long as they aren’t the target of their ire. The film is also visually appealing with great lighting and color throughout along with fantastic production design that transports you directly into WW-II era Europe, giving it a real authentic feel particularly for an indie film. Still, despite these good qualities, Resistance never really grabs you and pulls you in, especially as it tries to find its footing early. Its star Jesse Eisenberg is just as uneven at times as the film is, barely keeping with his French accent as his trademark neuroticism surfaces from time to time. Marceau’s story is interesting, as is the contemplation of resistance, but not enough to keep this film afloat.
Image: IFC Films
