Movie Review: NUREMBERG

The 2025 film NUREMBERG proves 2 things…

1). Russell Crowe, when he is interested and invested, can still pack one wallop of a punch as a performer.

2). A strong central performance - in and of itself - cannot elevate a film with a weaker script and dodgey directing.

And…that is what we get in this James Vanderbilt (TRUTH) Directed and Written adaption of the 2013 book THE NAZI AND THE PSYCHIATRIST which depicts the relationship between 2nd in Command of the German/Nazi/Hitler regime, Herman Goring and the Psychiatrist, Douglas Kelley who was brought in to get to know/understand him prior to his trial for War Crimes in Nuremberg, Germany in 1945/1946.

As stated above, Crowe commands the screen as Goring and it is a strong, Oscar-caliber performance by a former A list star that has faded in the past few years. It’s good to see this star dust off his star-like qualities so they can shine once again on the silver screen.

Unfortunately, his counterpart, Rami Malek (playing Psychiatrist Douglas Kelley) does not fare as well, resorting to tricks and ticks to make his character seem somewhat interesting when trying to play against Crowe. It was a characterization that got more and more annoying as the film went on.

And that is too bad for Director/Writer Vanderbilt spends the first 1/2 of this film with, basically, just these 2 characters getting to know each other. It takes about 1 hour 15 minutes (of the 2 hour 28 minute runtime) to get to the trial.

And, by that time, you sit up in your seat and look forward to the fireworks of the Courtroom drama…and those fireworks just never quite come.

Michael Shannon (James Garfield in the recent DEATH BY LIGHTNING) comes on strong in the first bit of the film as Justice Robert H. Jackson, the person who insisted that Goring be put on trial (rather than just being summarily shot). He shines in his early scenes, but when his character - as the leading prosecutor in the trial - is supposed to take center stage, he (or rather, his character) just doesn’t. It’s a waste of talent/potential, squandered by Vanderbilt.

John Slattery, Leo Woodall (who, one might argue, has the best monologue in the film) and (especially) the always good Richard E. Grant all shine in the limited roles that they are given…it’s too bad that they didn’t have more to do.

Nuremberg is a film with a strong premise, good actors and an interesting courtroom drama that just doesn’t quite live up to it’s potential - and the end just doesn’t pack the punch that it needs to.

Thank goodness Crowe is bringing his “A” game to elevate things.

Letter Grade: B

7 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the BankofMarquis