Good (2008)

Plot of Good: John Halder, a professor in Germany in the 1930s during the ascendancy of the Nazi Party attempts to maintain his family, with a wife who seems to have no interest in housekeeping and a mother who is in the middle stages of dementia. He writes a novel reflecting his problems, suggesting that the answer may be euthanasia which gains the attention of Hitler. Meanwhile he maintains his friendship with Maurice, a Jew with whom he fought in WW1. John receives an honorary rank in the Nazi military, complete with uniform, he leaves his family and takes up with a young woman who is a Nazi sympathiser. He advises Maurice to leave, who is initially reluctant but who later asks him to get a travel pass. To get the pass John  has to steal an authorisation, but it is too late since Maurice has been arrested and sent away. John follows his trail and is horrified to find out what has happened.

Content: Anne, John’s young mistress, is turned on by the sight of him in uniform and as a result gives him a BJ. John and Maurice drink beer a lot. John’s family situation is intolerable with his wife particularly doing nothing to help out. He in interviewed by a representative of the party and is surprised by the acclaim he receives. He finds out that his mistress has fingered Maurice and when he follows Maurice finds out what he might have done.

A View: This outing was not much liked and seems to have lost money despite its quite moderate budget. One gets the feeling that it was better as a play since it is a fairly simple plot with none of the subplots we have become used to. But it is earnestly presented with the horrifying Nazi ideal in its centre. So, a film to have on for nothing while doing your knitting.

Fun Fact: How can there be fun facts about the concentration camps? Well, Mortensen said he never felt comfortable in the Nazi uniform.