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A Review of The
Optimist by Olszyk
Distribution Service: Theatrical
MPAA Rating, PG-13
OSV Rating, Not rated at the time of this review
Reel Rating, Two Reels
Herbert
Heller (Stephen Lang) has quite a story to tell but would prefer not to tell
it. However, when he is diagnosed with a terminal illness and realizes the
clock is ticking, he decides to share his dreadful but amazing tale. What
emerges is not so much a lesson in positivity but the necessity of mission and
meaning against the evils of the world.
Although
originally from Prague, Herbert is now in living in the San Francisco Bay area,
having retired several years earlier. Living largely anonymously as the owner
of a toy story, he contacts a local documentary filmmaker wishing to tell the
story of his childhood. When she learns of his background, which was hidden
even from his wife, she immediately agrees. However, he is more interested in
discussing his story casually with the shy intern Abby (Elsie Fisher) off
camera than sitting for a formal interrogation.
At first,
Abby is apathetic, not just to this random old dude but life in general.
Slowly, she becomes more intrigued by the fascinating but horrifying events of
his early years. Herbert came from a prominent Jewish family whose father
stubbornly chose to stay in Czechoslovakia while many of his friends fled in
the late 1930s. Eventually, his whole family was taken to the Terezin ghetto,
where life was hard but tolerable as it was used as a ruse for the Red Cross to
show the Nazis weren’t really monsters. As the war progressed, however, his
family was taken to Auschwitz where Herbert’s quick thinking and toughness saved
him countless times until finally liberated. Abby also tells her own struggle
with mental illness, especially after she discovers her father taking advantage
of a close friend, leading to a suicide pact where she survives but her friend
doesn’t.
Herbert’s
story is long, sad, and horrifying. It unfolds slowly, first through subtle
harassment, then active persecution, finally genocidal annihilation. Some days
are better than others, but the possibility of death looms over every minute. It
is relentless, awful, and undeserved. Compared to his pain, Abby appears
selfish and bratty. She lives a relatively comfortable life, never has to fear
for her safety, and even when she messes up can assume things will get better.
Yet Herbert never minimizes her suffering or fails to lend an empathetic ear.
He understands that, from her perspective, it can seem like the end of the
world even though it isn’t. God loves us and wants to bring us His salvation no
matter our circumstance. It is so easy to look at another’s cross as easier or
harder than ours instead of accepting what God brings us in the moment.
There
appears to be a growing
sense of exhaustion in Hollywood regarding films about the Holocaust. Yet
this has less to do with the current politics of Israel and more with
oversaturation of the market and greater historical distance. When Spielberg
made Schindler’s List in the early 90s, it was still a relatively new
subject artistically and many survivors were in their late 60s or early 70s.
Now, it feels like a historical event rather than a fresh reality. Yet all the
past affects the present, and, as long as there are good stories to tell that
are told with respect and talent, there will always be room for great cinema in
any subject.
The
greatest mystery surrounding The Optimist is the title. Herbert has
achieved a measure of peace in his life but is not especially optimistic and
certainly not naïve. Abby is certainly not optimistic but wallows in self-pity,
unable to seek forgiveness for her sins. While not excusing her actions,
Herbert tries to make her understand that she is not solely responsible, that
life is worth living, and there is a way forward. Herbert was able to survive
to the Holocaust not through optimism but purpose. He wanted to see his family
again and honor their lives with his own. To his surprise, he discovers his
mother has survived this ordeal too, though significantly shaken for the rest
of her life. Eventually, Abby also reconciles with her mother, which also gives
her a reason to keep going.
Thus, the
film ends on a positive note. While faith is not explicitly mentioned, there is
an understanding that healing can only come through stepping outside ourselves
and find value in loving one’s neighbor. Hopefully, this is only the beginning
because ultimately our value can only be found in God. If we place our purpose
in other people, even our loved ones, we will still be let down. My worry is
that, like the roses among the thorns, Herbert and Abby’s new hope could be
short lived. I choose, however, to be optimistic and believe this is only the
start of their journey.
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