Woman In Gold
Based on the true life story of Maria Altmann (Helen Mirren), a Jewish refugee from Austria and her attempts to reclaim artwork stolen from her family during World War II while aided by a young lawyer also an Austrian descendent, and the grandson of composer Arnold Schoenberg, Randal Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds), the two have their work cut out. Taking on the Austrian government and seeking to right decades of wrongs will not be an easy task and may not come with payoff, but, based on principle alone, the fight is a necessary one. Who will stand victorious and with what implications? 
Directed by Simon Curtis, this biopic story that elegantly slides between past and present, bringing to life the ghosts of Austria, illustrating the impact of Hitler’s war, and the reach of anti-Semitism that lingers today. While overall a procedural film that works to abbreviate massive amounts of time, sometimes a little too brief, the important lessons contained within still ring strong. And, for Reynolds, a role to remind us he’s not just a screwball comedic or comic actor while tucked nicely next to the legendary Mirren, both performances are sharp, although for the picky, Mirren’s British accent does bleed though on occasion, so it goes. Worthy as a matinee or a rental for the history buffs or the curious, Woman in Gold is rated PG-13.