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Denial tells the true story of Dr. Deborah Lipstadt, an American professor of Holocaust studies who is sued by Holocaust denier, David Irving, for undermining his claims and his career and an author and historian of World War II. The film follows the ensuing courtroom battle.
The film is carried by a truly stellar ensemble cast – it is as if the weight of the story they are telling demanded nothing less than their finest performance. Denial is not about one person or one Hollywood hero. This is a film that is aware of itself as a story about people, in groups and masses. It is about those who survived the horrors of the Holocaust, those who did not, and essentially, how they are remembered. Deborah Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz) came to prominence with her book about the denial of the Holocaust, directly addressing David Irving’s claims that the Holocaust did not happen. Weisz’s Lipstadt is charming and intelligent, boisterous yet sensible. She eschews melodramatic emotional displays in favour of heartfelt exchanges and purposeful interactions. The performance is beautiful in its subtlety, and grounds the realism of the story being told.
Timothy Spall plays the villain of the piece. He convincingly inhabits the role of David Irving, playing him with a vicious energy that is highly effective and often repulsive. Irving is presented as abusive, intolerant and anti-Semitic. But the essential message of the film is not simply that a bad man denied the Holocaust. Spall’s Irving acts as a conduit, a representation of what could happen if we ignore or falsify history. In scenes displaying the considerable following that Irving attracts, the film aims to highlight the risks we take when we allow intolerance free reign. Denial is a film about the group banding together and standing up to the bully – albeit in this case the stakes are higher than usual. The themes of intolerance, racism and the insidious spread of false information feels as desperately relevant today as it did twenty years ago when the trial occurred.
Lipstadt’s representative was Anthony Julius, played here by Dublin’s own Andrew Scott. Scott steps far away from the highly exaggerated Moriarty many audience members will recognise from Sherlock. He is charming, enigmatic and effortlessly funny throughout. That said, his dramatic muscles are also stretched – we are never allowed to forget how deeply Scott’s character feels the gravity of the case he is arguing. Scott’s interactions with the members of his legal team are priceless and genuine. They humanise the legal intricacies of the complex battle. They also often provide some light-hearted relief in the form of relatable, relaxed banter that we could all imagine ourselves joining in on. In fact, the dialogue throughout Denial is perfect. It’s witty and resonant without being exaggerated. Tom Wilkinson’s lawyer presents perhaps one of his best performances. He carries the responsibility of presenting the case to the judge and does so with impressive eloquence and passion.
Director Mick Jackson relies on the strength of the story and power of his cast to serve the material. His extensive experience in directing true stories, adaptations and documentaries really shows in this film, as it manages to engage not only with intellectual, but also emotional truth. Denial is a well-made film with a perfect cast and effective storytelling. Most importantly, it is a film with an important message – one that everyone, whether from an interest in history or a hope for the future – should take the time to go and see.
