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 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 386 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	Your Score
7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 386 Ratings

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THE PIANIST

Movie Details & Credits

TV-MA

Focus Features | Release Date: December 27, 2002

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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Awards & Rankings

10	#10 Best Movie of 2002
19	#19 Most Discussed Movie of 2002
15	#15 Most Shared Movie of 2002

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Washington Post - Desson Thomson

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

100

Chicago Tribune - 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

Chicago Reader - Jonathan Rosenbaum

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

Rolling Stone - Peter Travers

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

USA Today - 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

L.A. Weekly - 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

Variety - 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

Futuredirector

Sep 11, 2017

Without Adrien Brody's unique interpretation and Roman Polanski's almost insuperable direction, The Pianist wouldn't have reached the success-position, favorable critics, and the awards that it has right now.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

jack977

May 10, 2014

An extremely humane tale of pure survival, The Pianist is undoubtedly one of Polanski's finest works - realistic, unflinching and never resorting to even the slightest melodrama.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Ridz43

Mar 21, 2011

The Pianist is a poignant and amazing adaptation of a man's spell-bounding survival in Warsaw during the Holocaust! Roman Polanski brings forth fantastic directing that moves a movie viewer to his deepest heart! Additionally, Adrien Brody captivates all with his well deserved Oscar winningThe Pianist is a poignant and amazing adaptation of a man's spell-bounding survival in Warsaw during the Holocaust! Roman Polanski brings forth fantastic directing that moves a movie viewer to his deepest heart! Additionally, Adrien Brody captivates all with his well deserved Oscar winning perfomance treating us all with a performance of a lifetime!… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MisterLuca

Jul 26, 2014

A sensational film. Roman Polanski and his amazing vision bring us one of his moving masterpieces. the film tells the amazing life story of acclaimed Polish pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman, focusing on his touching story of survival during World War II. With a beautiful cast, The Pianist is aA sensational film. Roman Polanski and his amazing vision bring us one of his moving masterpieces. the film tells the amazing life story of acclaimed Polish pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman, focusing on his touching story of survival during World War II. With a beautiful cast, The Pianist is a great biographical drama i've seen in years. Loyal, genuine and above all a moving portrait of the Second World War and its worldwide impact.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SrPepe

Jun 5, 2018

Una muy buena película que cuenta una gran historia de superación y lucha, es de esas obras que todos tendrían que conocer.

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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