MOVIE REVIEW: In Darkness Sheds Light On A Lesser-Known Hero

The title Righteous among the Nations was bestowed upon non-Jews who risked their lives during the Holocaust to save the lives of Jews. Some of the honorees, such as Oscar Schindler, are well-known, but "In Darkness" is about one who is less so.

The film tells the story of former thief and sewer worker Leopold Socha, in the Polish city of Lvov. After the liquidation of the ghetto during the Nazi occupation, he spies an opportunity to make some money by hiding a small group of Jews who manage to escape into the sewers-for a price.

At first he takes their money, then their jewelry and any other assets they have. When there is no money left, he hides them for free. The risks soon become greater, along with the consequences should he be caught. While he gradually finds his conscience, he is never perfect: he frequently refers to them as Yids, and at first dismisses them as ungrateful.

The film doesn't pull any punches about the full horror of the Holocaust, nor does it devolve into exploitative gore. It distinctly shows how doing the right thing may have disastrous consequences, and why good people may have been hesitant to act.

The Jews themselves are actual characters, not perfect, suffering martyrs. They act like people would most likely act when caught in the most horrific and impossible of circumstances. It's superbly acted; when they go down into the sewers, you can see the claustrophobia and rat-infested stink of their newfound conditions all over them.

While we have seen such themes in films about this particular time in history before, this movie's themes and details, such as how the refugees come by food and water and pass the time, make it feel genuine. In Darkness also refuses to devolve into the cloying sentiment that is always a hazard for this type of film. We may have seen some its elements before, but this treatment makes it worth seeing the final product.

REVIEWER RATING: B+