Synopsis
Acclaimed writer and historian Deborah E. Lipstadt must battle for historical truth to prove the Holocaust actually occurred when David Irving, a renowned denier, sues her for libel.
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Cast
- Rachel WeiszDeborah Lipstadt
- Tom WilkinsonRichard Rampton
- Timothy SpallDavid Irving
- Andrew ScottAnthony Julius
- Jack LowdenJames Libson
- Caren PistoriusLaura Tyler
- Alex JenningsSir Charles Gray
- Harriet WalterVera Reich
- Mark GatissProfessor Robert Jan van der Pelt
- John SessionsProf. Richard Evans
Recommendations
- 100
Observer
Another illuminating performance by Rachel Weisz and a brilliant screenplay by the distinguished British playwright David Hare make Denial one of the most powerful and riveting courtroom dramas ever made. - 80
The Hollywood Reporter
Rachel Weisz’s arresting, combative Lipstadt, a shining woman warrior, is a role she will be remembered for, while as her antagonist Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner) makes a spookily stubborn, thoroughly despicable, but still human Irving. - 75
IndieWire
A simple courtroom drama that never betrays its convictions, the film is a basic but bitterly urgent reminder that history is far more fluid than fact, a garden that must be tended to at all times lest it wither and grow weeds. - 75
The Film Stage
While Denial doesn’t do anything new on a technical side, it is fully aware of its gripping plot, one that welcomely avoids pushing its inherent clichés to the forefront of its story. - 75
Slant Magazine
Denial shows that people’s misfortunes need not preclude them from living virtuous lives founded on basic human decency. - 70
Screen Daily
Jackson’s film is best enjoyed for the quality of the performances and the typical richness of Hare’s screenplay. - 70
New York Daily News
The action inside the courtroom is compelling. This is a place where people duel with words, not swords, but the wounds can be just as deep and permanent. - 50
The Playlist
What’s most disturbing is Jackson’s pedestrian direction has resulted in a film that barely recognizes how powerful this is in contemporary society.
