Please don't spend money on this.

Dreadfully Boring

The movie's not perfect, but it sticks the landing of its message. It was engaging - thrilling at times - and I personally thought it was a great time.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

It's strange to say this, but "Denial" is Timothy Spall's movie. Strange because the movie is based a book by American historian Deborah Lipstadt on the libel trial launched by British amateur historian David Irving against herself and Penguin Books. Irving was played by Spall. The trial was launched because Irving claimed that Lipstadt had libelled him in a book she had written. Irving was a Holocaust denier, and Lipstadt a Jewish academic who specialized in the Holocaust. Given that the movie is based on Lipstadt's book you expect her to be the focal point, but Irving - in spite of his noxious anti-semitic views - was really the more compelling character, largely because of how well Spall did with the part. Rachel Weisz took on the part of Lipstadt. She was fine in the role, but outshone by Spall.After an opening encounter between the two in Atlanta, where Lipstadt was speaking, most of the movie is set in a British courtroom. You do learn some of the finer points in British law - such as that in the UK it's the defendant in a libel trial that has to prove the case. Irving launched the case in the UK for that very reason. You also see in Lipstadt just a wee bit of the "ugly American" from time to time - such as her refusal to bow to the judge when her trial begins, because- as she said - "I'm an American." Maybe - but too bad. You're in a British court! (She did bow to the judge eventually.) There are some ugly anti-semitic demonstrations portrayed outside the courtroom.The presentation of the case by Lipstadt's legal team is fairly dry and technical. It's interesting from a historical perspective - but you really have to have an interest in history to appreciate some of the finer points. I do have a Bachelors degree in history, so found it interesting to watch as Lipstadt's legal team and various witnesses pull Irving's views apart. But I would say that overall the movie isn't especially engrossing. It's a good movie. It's an important subject. Even aside from the Holocaust, it does deal with the question of when and whether there should be limits on freedom of speech. It's certainly worth watching, but it's certainly not an American-style courtroom drama filled with suspense. (6/10)

Sorry, but it's a no from us. Undeniably a worthy subject, but so amateurishly handled in this clunky, one-note script. If you want to see a properly executed Holocaust legal drama, check out 'The Reader', not this. Tom Wilkinson is always excellent and watchable, but he's pretty much the only thing of value in this poor production. Not sure whether Rachel Weisz's Queens accent was authentic or not, but it was grating and annoying to listen to, which made her character very difficult to side with. Best to avoid.

I recently submitted a review of this title. Being that it's a film about a Holocaust denier, I was shocked to see that you've allowed many negative reviews to be posted that are clearly Holocaust deniers. My review was not that. Quite the opposite. I did comment on all those reviews and the stupidity of such views. But I did ask the question why these are made, being that they don't do well and I believe water down the horrid events that took place.Very disappointed in IMDb's hypocrisy.

The actors are obviously outstanding, the script staggers at some parts, and yes , is artificial at others, but the movie raises an extremely important question, particularly poignant at our troubled times - what is the truth? can history be manipulated? is it OK to express your racist views, because of the freedom of speech? and what is the current duty of historians if not to prevent the abuse and intentional juggling of History? Or should the conspiracy partisans be ignored? Hard questions, extremely difficult to answer. No, the movie is not brilliant answering them, but is it brilliant because it raises the point and shows at least some complexity and seriousness of the questions of truth...