I wasn’t sure about this one but I am so please I went. My Neighbor Adolf movie is a uniquely satisfying comedy, beautifully told. Make sure you see this movie.
Polsky (David Hayman) is a Holocaust survivor who lost his whole family during the war. Fast forward to 1960 and we find him living alone in a remote area of Colombia. His reclusive existence is very simple. His main focus is looking after a single bush of black roses, his wife’s favourite flower.
The house next door is empty, a For Sale sign on its front wall.
One day an older businesswoman Fau Kaltenbrunner (Olivia Silhavy) appears at his front gate. She enquires about a contact number for the real estate agent, as the last half of the phone number has been rubbed off the For Sale notice Polsky, unable to help, returns to his routine thinking that’s the end of it.
Some nights later his sleep is interrupted as a group of removalists arrive and under the strict direction of Fau Kaltenbrunner move someone in. Under the cover of darkness, it’s hard to make out much about the new neighbor. The morning reveals an older man living alone with a German Shepard dog called Wolfie.
When Polsky notices his roses are dying and finds a telltale calling card from Wolfie, he marches to his neighbor’s gate to confront him, but things don’t go according to plan.
As the neighbor Mr Herzog (Udo Kier) opens the peephole in the wooden gate he removes his dark sunglasses to reveal piercing blue-grey eyes.
Polsky is rocked to his core, he’s seen those eyes before many years ago at a chess championship. The encounter so upsetting he hasn’t played chess since. The eyes don’t lie, his neighbor is Adolf Hitler.
A few days later an argument erupts over the fence line, one that could see him lose access to his precious roses. Polsky goes to the local Council for help. He outlines his concerns about the identify of his new neighbor, but the authorities are not convinced. Hitler is dead. This sets Polsky off on an independent investigation to prove his claim. What follows is a funny, poignant set of events as the two men are forced to get to know each other.
The movie My Neighbor Adolf touches on family, friendship, responsibility and regrets.
As the audience laughed during the final chapter, I pondered:
- Both Hayman and Kier are fabulous as the grumpy old men coming to terms with how their lives have turned out;
- It’s always good when a mystery keeps you committed right up to the end. Even better when the final act is a highly plausible, satisfying explanation;
- The movie reminds us that comments are innocent unless of course you think they’re being made by Hitler;
- Put this movie on your must see list.
For more information go to Luna Cinemas
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