The Zone of Interest — Review: Atmosphere is Everything
by KJ Proulx
A24 is a studio I just can’t get enough of and they have released yet another superb picture in The Zone of Interest. Director Jonathan Glazer is a filmmaker I haven’t seen much work from (which I need to change), but ever since watching Under the Skin, he has been a director on my radar. The story behind this film and the trailer intrigued me and made me want to see this one in a theatre. Well, after a disturbing watch in terms of the material being displayed on-screen, I can confidently say that this is one of the best films of 2023. It deserves all of the praise and nominations it has been receiving and here’s why I believe that.
In a film where there’s truly nobody to root for on-screen, The Zone of Interest follows Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel), the commandant of Auschwitz (and one of the right hands of Hitler), as he and his wife Hedwig live right next door, raising a family and gardening. His wife knowing full well that he murders and works for Hitler, chooses to embrace this lifestyle and has nothing to say about it. Watching these two alone was disturbing enough, but the backdrop of the Holocaust is heard throughout the film as well. The film chooses not to show any of the brutality, but rather showcases the happiness of this family as the sounds are heard in the background. This made for an…
