I SO disagree with many other writers here. Where in this movie is there anything thought provoking? The Harvey Keitel character is so one dimensional! I totally hated him. The Soviet counterpart is the more sympathetic character. Even the native Germans assigned to work with the American can't stand him. There is no balance in this film. Furtwängler, the brilliant symphony conductor, is berated, belittled and totally disrespected by a complete uncultured boob representing the US. There could have been some struggle between philosophies or a deeper look at guilt, but this movie was shallow and unsatisfying. Better to just read Wikipedia on Furtwängler and save your time. A musician that is trying to save what he can of hundreds of years of musical culture from destruction by the Nazis deserves better. Some good acting but my 6 is really way too kind.
Review of Taking Sides
