The Counterfeiters

Well made but utterly routine, The Counterfeiters revolves around a master forger who finds himself sent to a concentration camp during the Second World War – where his unique skills are quickly put to work by the Nazis. There’s exceedingly little within The Counterfeiters to set it apart from its similarly-themed brethren (eg 2001’s The Grey Zone), and it’s consequently impossible to overlook the pervading sense of familiarity inherent within virtually every aspect of the film (the inclusion of such stock characters as the Sadistic Nazi and the Pathetic Prisoner certainly doesn’t help matters). It’s a shame, really, as there’s little doubt that the true story at the heart of director Stefan Ruzowitzky’s screenplay is an interesting one, though it’s ultimately clear that only WWII junkies will find much of anything worth embracing here.

** out of ****