Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. (2024)

2 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Nasty Nazis

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Todd Komarnicki's faith-based WWII biopic Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. is deeply problematic, and suffers from unsophisticated, sometimes unclear, filmmaking, but it has a strong central performance and a relevant, even necessary, message.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Jonas Dassler) is a theologian and pastor. He travels to America to continue his studies, and has his eyes opened when a Black student, Frank Fisher (David Jonsson), introduces him to the Baptist Church in Harlem; he realizes that it's possible to have faith without the rigid constriction of religion. Unfortunately, he's also introduced to racism. Back in Germany, he learns of the rise to power of a maniacal authoritarian, Adolf Hitler, and is shocked to learn that the Church is doing nothing to stop him.

He argues with another pastor, Martin Niemoller (August Diehl), and gives an anti-Nazi sermon that makes him a target. Before long Niemoller realizes that Bonhoeffer is correct and helps form a secret getaway for several promising seminary students and Bonhoeffer, who will act as their teacher. As Bonhoeffer amasses more and more like-minded souls, a plan to assassinate the Führer begins to form.

Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. was written and directed by Todd Komarnicki, who contributed the screenplay for Clint Eastwood's superb Sully (as well as co-producing Elf!). Sully did a remarkable job of balancing the gray areas and nuances of the character's heroism, but Bonhoeffer is a little more straightforward when it needed to dig deeper.

The problem is that, while Dietrich Bonhoeffer's writings and teachings have endured, they have been co-opted by both the right and the left to justify or condemn certain political behaviors. The movie does nothing to address this conundrum, and thus it could be a dangerous bit of propaganda that either side could adopt for its own purposes. Nevertheless, there's enough in the movie that might encourage further research.

As for the storytelling, Komarnicki chose to flash back and forth between many timelines, sometimes only a few years apart, and it can be disorienting. This also serves to sideline every other character except Bonhoeffer himself. None of them come to life. That's a shame considering that Martin Niemoller is also a character; he's known today for his sermon that begins "First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out, because I was not a socialist..." (which is heard in the movie).

Nevertheless, in the lead role, Dassler (Never Look Away), gives a fierce, passionate, empathetic performance that continuously draws you back in. Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. gets a marginal recommendation, mainly because — as a warning that evil can still happen — it's too important to ignore.