The Debt

The Debt may sound like a made-for-TV John Grisham movie, but it’s actually a post-World War II thriller about undercover Israeli agents hunting a Nazi war criminal. The film seesaws between the three lead characters in their 20s or 30s and them in their later years dealing with the events of their most important mission. Jessica Chastain and Helen Mirren split time as the female in the spy triangle and they fill the protagonist role throughout the film. While Mirren rightfully receives top-billing, it’s Chastain who gives the strongest performance. Then there’s SamWorthington of Avatar fame, who does very well in the film that’s of a much smaller scale than much of his best known work.

One of the most profound strengths of The Debt is the script’s ability to balance the story so well. There are the two time periods during which the story takes place, and then more importantly there is the emotion and action that must complement each other. All is down well, though it must be said that the male characters don’t pass as seamlessly through time as their female counterpart does. It’s just not as easy to distinguish which of the actors are supposed to be the same character in the past and more recent scenes.

The drama of interactions with the Nazi enemy is enough to keep the audience on the edge of their seats without the discomfort of watching a war film. While I have no idea if the Israeli accents were accurate, they add a level of authenticity that makes all the other actions of the actors more believable. The subtlety of the action and the lack of a neat resolution can possibly be attributed to why some men in the theater were trying to convince me that The Debt is based on a true story. It’s not, but it is realistic. There’s a difference. The film’s cast and crew would likely take that false claim as a compliment though. (8.8 out of 10)