The Pianist

Name: The Pianist
Genre: Biography, Drama, War
Released: December 27, 2002
Duration: 150 min
Rating: 85
Cast: Adrien Brody, Frank Finlay

2002

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 40 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 522 Ratings

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8.0	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 522 Ratings

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The Pianist

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Movie Details & Credits

Focus Features | Release Date: December 27, 2002 | TV-MA

Starring: Adrien Brody, Frank Finlay

Summary: Wladyslaw Szpilman, a brilliant Polish pianist, a Jew, escapes deportation. Forced to live in the heart of the Warsaw ghetto, he shares the suffering, the humiliation and the struggles. He manages to escape and hides in the ruins of the capital. A German officer comes to his aid and helps him to survive. (Focus Features)

Director: Roman Polanski

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, War

Rating: TV-MA

Runtime: 150 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Desson Thomson

Polanski, himself a survivor of Nazi-occupied Poland, has created a near-masterpiece. Read full review

100

Michael Wilmington

A great movie on a powerful, essential subject -- the Holocaust years in Poland -- directed with such artistry and skill that, as we watch, the barriers of the screen seem to melt away. Read full review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

The results are masterful, admirably unsentimental, and never boring, if also a little stodgy. Read full review

Peter Travers

Nothing can detract from the film as a portrait of hell so shattering it's impossible to shake. Read full review

Mike Clark

With this 2002 Cannes Film Festival best-picture winner, Polanski skips the quirky flourishes and simply brings history to life. Read full review

Ella Taylor

Polanski, wisely, doesn't interpret or explain. He seems to have decided that in the face of such meticulously planned horror, the best one can do is get the details right. Read full review

Todd McCarthy

Surprisingly lacks a feeling of personal urgency and insight that would have made it a distinctive, even unique contribution to the considerable number of films that deal with the war in general and Holocaust in particular. Read full review

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User Reviews

MustisTheCat

Aug 2, 2011

I especially appreciate this movie for portraying people as real as it gets. There are no only good or bad sides here. It shows us that the war never really changed poeple to mindless warmongering zombies. There were bad and good people everywhere. The story of a young Jewish radio pianistI especially appreciate this movie for portraying people as real as it gets. There are no only good or bad sides here. It shows us that the war never really changed poeple to mindless warmongering zombies. There were bad and good people everywhere. The story of a young Jewish radio pianist is interesting as the perspective is shown from his secret flat provided by the Polish. Everything he experienced most of the time was viewing from his apartment`s window. The apocalyptic reality of ghettos also have some time in this movie so we can see how he Germans treated their slaves. The character played by Adrien Brody is likeable and interesting to the point we want to stick with the story. And in this movie we see another page of history which is Germans destroying Warsaw. In the end I felt sorry for Wilm Hosenfeld and I reflected upon how unjust and random war is.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

Panchogul

Apr 7, 2021

Muy real, cruda y entusiasta, una obra de arte de principio a fin, el retrato de los personajes en general, especialmente de los judíos polacos es conmovedor, los efectos de sonido son espectaculares, la banda sonora muy melodiosa y adecuada en todo momento, pero la actuación de Adrien BrodyMuy real, cruda y entusiasta, una obra de arte de principio a fin, el retrato de los personajes en general, especialmente de los judíos polacos es conmovedor, los efectos de sonido son espectaculares, la banda sonora muy melodiosa y adecuada en todo momento, pero la actuación de Adrien Brody es magistral e impecable, la empatia que transmite es de otro mundo. Excelente trabajo del gran Roman Polanski.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

zNeverSleeping

Feb 16, 2020

Esse é um caso onde não podemos entender, pois não passamos por esse tipo de situação, mas sim podemos imaginar na nossa pele, e esse filme merece todos os méritos por isso.

A direção é muito inteligente e dirige o drama de maneira gradativa, desde a perda de direitos até os campos deEsse é um caso onde não podemos entender, pois não passamos por esse tipo de situação, mas sim podemos imaginar na nossa pele, e esse filme merece todos os méritos por isso.

A direção é muito inteligente e dirige o drama de maneira gradativa, desde a perda de direitos até os campos de concentração, o que levanta uma melancolia absurda, visto que aquilo realmente aconteceu. As atuações são boas, com claro destaque ao Adrien Brody que consegue passar a dor e o medo do personagem de maneira orgânica, apenas com o olhar e suas expressões. Vale dizer que as cenas focadas no piano são lindíssimas.

A cenografia é muito fiel a sua época, justo ao figurino, e a fotografia trabalha muito bem seus planos, mas não há nada de muito ousado aqui, e nem há porque.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Spangle

Nov 22, 2013

Beautiful, engrossing, and tragic, this film is all of those and more. Beautifully directed by Roman Polanski and Adrien Brody excells in the lead role. Absolutely brilliant film.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

death12123

Apr 9, 2020

The Pianist is a great movie to watch and showed how the struggles were from a different view of a Polist-Jewish Survivor. Definitely something unique and worth checking out.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

glomman

Jan 4, 2022

The Pianist is a movie following Wladek, a Polish man from a jewish family during the perils of the Second World War. Beginning at the Siege of Warsaw in 1939 Wladek continues his strife to survive under ever-worsening surroundings he finds himself in up until the "Liberation of Warsaw" byThe Pianist is a movie following Wladek, a Polish man from a jewish family during the perils of the Second World War. Beginning at the Siege of Warsaw in 1939 Wladek continues his strife to survive under ever-worsening surroundings he finds himself in up until the "Liberation of Warsaw" by the Soviets in 1945.
While its not the most impactful or meaningful movies I've seen about the Second World War and its impact on civilians - Downfall comes to mind as a very good example - it's still an important piece of art which shows that war brings death to not only specially trageted groups, but to everyone involved.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DaveC.

Sep 24, 2005

Can't go wrong with Adrien Brody, whose performance is, at once, intense and sympathetic, yet the character he is playing is little more than a void in the film, where we should in fact be thinking of him as the protagonist. Many sections of the film are risible where the ought to be Can't go wrong with Adrien Brody, whose performance is, at once, intense and sympathetic, yet the character he is playing is little more than a void in the film, where we should in fact be thinking of him as the protagonist. Many sections of the film are risible where the ought to be taken seriously and at other times, I wasn't even convinced. The piano playing sequences are pretentious and obvious and the rest of the film feels like a missed opportunity. Why doesn't it tackle issues like the prejudices of slavic poles towards the jews. I never got the sense of what it might have felt like to be jew. Polanski has evidently been more pre-occupied with making a crowd-pleasing thrill ride. What a waste.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

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10	#10 Best Movie of 2002
16	#16 Most Discussed Movie of 2002
15	#15 Most Shared Movie of 2002