Telling a story for the sake of history is not always the best recipe for a successful film. However, Sarah's Key manages to exceed that somewhat simplistic goal that is laced throughout the film. The story that is being told puts a face on the French Vel D'Hiv roundup in 1942 that resulted in more than 13,000 Jewish Parisians being deported to the Auschwitz death camp.
Sarah's Key examines the roundup through the eyes of a young girl (Sarah Starzynski, played by Melusine Mayance) who locks her brother into a secret room in their apartment when the police arrive. The key becomes a focal point for the young girl as she is ripped apart from her parents and ultimately plans a daring escape from a temporary confinement camp in order to save her brother. The irony stems from the key, which provides her the drive that ultimately allows her to survive. Yet it is also a reminder of her mistake, a horrific outcome that she seems unable to live with. It is both her redemption and her undoing.
Sarah's story remained buried for half a century, when a reporter covering the events surrounding the Vel D'Hiv begins to uncover her past. Julia (Kristen Scott Thomas) is preparing the story for her magazine when the events hit close to home. She realizes that the apartment that she and her husband (Frederic Pierrot) are renovating was vacated when Sarah's family was rounded up. As she digs deeper into the past, she begins to uncover a secret that her husband's family had been keeping for fifty years. It is a difficult reconciliation that Julia struggles with until it becomes her obsession. That obsession will affect many people, especially those closest to her.
I was captivated by Sarah's story, which was compelling, interesting and a tad bit incredible. But amazing things did happen during World War II as people did what they could to survive. The characters were well developed and the stark realities left undressed. As the events unravel, the story becomes engrossing. However, the pacing is confused by the flashback device, which could have been effective. Yet somehow the modern story lacked passion. It was a drab, weak story that paled in comparison to the compelling events of the past. The two situations did not mesh neatly, leaving the film uneven. Because the film ends in the present (or in 2009) it has a tepid conclusion that was anti-climactic. The ending was predictable and cheap in comparison to the rest of the film. The choppy, awkward present day clips detracted from my overall enjoyment of this story.
Kristen Scott Thomas made the present day portion of the movie somewhat tolerable with her performance, which was fairly even. However, most of the modern day elements felt forced. The performances in the war era really stood out, mostly because it was such a consuming story. Mayance was superb as the quick-witted child with a strong brooding look and fierce resolve. I also enjoyed Niels Arestrup as the loving, adoptive father. I first came to appreciate Arestrup through his amazing performance in Un Prophet. I was less moved by Aidan Quinn's performance, which seemed off balance.
Sarah's Key is one of those compelling World War II films that needs careful consideration, even with a PG-13 rating from the MPAA. While there are no graphic war scenes, some of the thematic material gets deep. The entire interment camp issue is certain to raise questions in younger viewers. If you are prepared to answer them, then have at it. There is also a suicide in the film, as well as the death of children, which is not candy coated. This strong subject matter might also induce nightmares or insecurity in younger viewers. Because it is such a strong topic, prudence in the area of smaller children might be the best course.
While Sarah's Key might be a bit derivative in some aspects, the story was very compelling, shedding light on a lesser known atrocity of World War II. The story is rich in areas, but uneven. The choppy movement in current events doesn't balance well against the powerful story at the heart of this film. For that reason, we are left with an ending that just sort of peters out. This film could have pushed into the 10/10 area if not for the weak writing in the present day portion of the film. I did not read Tatiana De Rosnay's novel, but I am certain that it did not suffer from the same ill effects of the awkward pacing. In fact, the book might have made some of the modern day events make sense. It felt like some events were glossed over for the sake of timing, which was already off kilter. Because the core of this story moved me, I am willing to go 8/10 on this film. I am just disappointed that it did not achieve the acclaim it was capable of. A film worth streaming if you can find it.
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