Watch
The Pianist
The Pianist
+12
Your probable score
?
The Pianist

The Pianist

2002
Drama, War
2h 30m
Wladyslaw Szpilman, a brilliant Polish pianist, a Jew, escapes deportation. Forced to live in the heart of the Warsaw ghetto, he shares the suffering, the humiliation and the struggles. He manages to escape and hides in the ruins of the capital. A German officer comes to his aid and helps him to survive. (Focus Features)

The Pianist

2002
Drama, War
2h 30m
Your probable score
Avg Percentile 71.32% from 12362 total ratings

Ratings & Reviews

(12472)
Compact view
Compact view
Rated 24 Mar 2008
92
98th
Adrien Brody's masterful performance matched with Polanski's heartbreaking depiction of the horrors of the ghetto and the nazi occupation of Poland make this a must see WWII epic.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
80
61st
The phrase The Pianist constantly brings to mind for me is "predictably excellent". On the one hand it IS excellent, but on the other hand it is exactly what I was expecting it to be every step of the way. Maybe I've just become numb to everything Holocaust-related.
Rated 21 Apr 2007
10
97th
One of the best War films around. The music transcends the film to a unique status and Brody's performance is unforgettable. How could Chicago have won best picture over this, I still wonder.
Rated 11 Jun 2009
5
81st
I suppose this is the most I can care about Adrian Brody - all it took was a Holocaust.
Rated 17 May 2008
89
96th
it makes me wonder how such an awesome movie could be based on such a terrible book. adrien brody gives one of the best performances of the last decade, this stands out as one of the best war-time movies based in the 40's ever made.
Rated 24 Sep 2019
75
41st
Gradually paced, I think it's timeline is well executed and coincides with it's emotional weight. A subject that is sensitive, but Polanski manages a brutal and direct picture without over the top drama.
Rated 15 Sep 2019
96
99th
An emotional movie with lots of heavy scenes, which are difficult to watch. The (unbelievable) story is really good, crazy it really happened and the acting is outstanding too. It has a long running time, but the movie is so engaging, that it doesn't feel like that at all.
Rated 05 May 2015
40
33rd
How is this less hated than Schindler's List?
Rated 21 Aug 2011
65
42nd
The only thing Polanski raped on this was the pacing.
Rated 06 Jul 2010
100
95th
The hero becomes the anti-hero, war becomes a struggle of self-survival, and the viewer becomes an insignificant molecule beyond the screen and into Polanski's vision.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
88
91st
Excellent film. Adrian Brody is magnificent.
Rated 16 Mar 2019
90
93rd
On the basis that I dont research peoples history in order to decide whether to appreciate their work, I have to say I loved this film. Absolutely gripping from start to finish despite a 150mn run time. Whilst Polanski may not be the greatest director (a little too fond of "fade to black" editing for my liking) he has produced a classic which manages to really convey the passage of time; something so many films of the ilk fail to do. The piano work in front of the German was a moment to treasure
Rated 05 Jun 2016
70
69th
takes its sweet time to get anywhere interesting from the usual beating you into submission by shoving atrocities down your throat, and when it finally does, it's almost over. of course it's well done, it's a polanski. but it brings nothing to the table i haven't seen several times before.
Rated 09 Mar 2009
90
73rd
This has to be one of the most honest films about the holocaust. Roman Polanski delivers the epic journey of a man who is transformed by a series of events from an highly cultured musician to a scavenging, hollow shell of a human being in a very skillful way. The violence is heartbreaking and graphic with showing the widespread killing, beating and burning of Jews and others, which is unbearable to watch at times. It's still a very touching movie and should be seen by everyone.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
84
87th
Adrien Brody was very good (thus the Oscar), and the movie had my attention the entire time. But for some reason, I left the movie feeling like it had been done before (thus the docking in points).
Rated 19 Sep 2022
93
94th
It's pretty unfair that Polanski can be such a monumental piece of shit and such a great filmmaker simultaneously. These points go to everyone else involved in the production, not him.
Rated 17 Dec 2019
0
1st
The movie was directed by a convicted rapist who fled the country to avoid going to jail, but continues to make movies. Nope. Not for me.
Rated 04 Apr 2019
65
27th
And people accuse horror movies of being torture porn.
Rated 05 Mar 2014
80
89th
"Predictably excellent" is an accurate descriptor, but excellence is excellence, no matter how predictable. Hard not to draw comparisons to Schindler's List, but they each focus on different aspects of the goodness of humanity -- List on one many who saves many, and the Pianist on many who save one. The pacing is a little jumpy, but Brody carries the entire movie from beginning to end. It's just as much his film as it is Polanski's.
Rated 23 Oct 2013
85
88th
Watching Polanski films always have me between a rock and a hard place. The rock being that he is one of my favorite filmmakers. But he also raped a child and got away with it. Regardless, The Pianist is a great film, with Brody's shnoze stealing the show. I suspect my score would increase with a repeated viewing.
Rated 02 Aug 2013
0
1st
Holocaust profiteering, Spielberg style. Most of the movie is just masturbation over fictionalized events during the Holocaust (the Hollywood version where only Jewish people were harmed - that is). The movie doesn't have anything at all to say, which is made painfully obvious time and time again during the final third where the main character just wanders around aimlessly as a homeless bum. And really, who thought it was a good idea to have Adrien Brody star in a major production?
Rated 26 Jun 2012
70
53rd
A fine film, but it brings no surprises, and had a surprisingly light emotional impact on me considering the subject matter.
Rated 14 Apr 2012
85
84th
A great film, the second half of the story is especially gripping. Brody really carries the film with an excellent performance.
Rated 24 Mar 2012
97
94th
I was very blown away by this movie. Adrien Brody is fantastic in what is unquestionably his best performance ever, and Roman Polanski is a very godo director. A truly gripping, upsetting, and emotional story told very well by Wladyslaw himself. A near perfect movie.
Rated 10 Jul 2011
48
43rd
The film relies heavily on the subject matter. The editing is very clunky and the passage of time is not managed well. While the film definitely feels long, Brody's performance is fairly strong. Still wondering where are all the holocaust films which at least acknowledge (and ideally focus on) the Ukrainians, the mentally ill, the Roma (really, especially the Roma) the gays, the unionists, the Catholics, and all the others who suffered horribly at the hands of the Nazis. They are ignored.
Rated 28 Feb 2011
85
73rd
A good setup for one of the most magnificent, beautiful musical scenes ever.
Rated 10 Feb 2011
3
45th
A well made and engrossing film, but one that lacks personality and character to set it apart. Despite the marvelous cinematography and performances, it feels like just another Holocaust movie.
Rated 02 Jan 2011
40
3rd
A highly narrow-minded film that focuses almost entirely on the horrors of that era, which have been better portrayed in better and shorter movies. Less a film for the cinemas, and more for the history class.
Rated 16 May 2010
90
95th
Mandatory viewing for everyone.
Rated 26 Feb 2010
70
59th
A hugely moving film portraying the harsh reality of war, with great acting and beautiful music. Won many awards for the film and acting. A very well made film with great cinematography.
Rated 07 Sep 2009
88
92nd
One of the movies that are great and hard to watch at the same time.
Rated 01 Aug 2009
89
95th
Brilliantly made and performed, this is may possiblyeven be my favourite Polanski. Brody is excellent as the films lead, and while it may do little that can be considered new or original in terms of the many other films of this ilk, "The Pianist" does those things better than most films.
Rated 13 May 2009
67
31st
It's like the filmic equivalent of HDR photography. Almost every utterance feels contrived. However, it remains engaging throughout its runtime.
Rated 27 Apr 2009
94
93rd
Probably the best war-related movie I've seen with an awesome performance from Adrian Brody.
Rated 22 Jan 2009
95
96th
Polanski brings Holocaust memoirs into starkly detailed life, providing a vital& fact-based account of great tragedy & hopeful struggle.First, how the noose brutally & inexorably tightened on Warsaw Jews& then, the moving tale of 1 desperate man's incredibly fortunate & realistically unheroic survival w/ the help of a handful of brave people - both gentiles & germans - willing2 put their own necks on the line. Specific, moving & powerful, the film stands out from most otherHolocaust dramas
Rated 16 Jan 2009
82
71st
The opening nocturne is unforgettable as the pictures in this film. I was really happy to see Brody receive an oscar. I've always admired his work since I was a young kid, seems like a cool guy.
Rated 27 Feb 2008
71
88th
ger; ein jüdischer pianist erlebt die nazizeit und schlägt sich durch ein leben voll demütigung und einsamkeit
Rated 04 Feb 2008
82
86th
Polanski's World War II movie. Excellent part of Adrien Brody.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
93
93rd
One of the best performances from an actor in the last 20 years , Adrian Brody more than deserved his oscar, and it's a damn fine movie.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
88
90th
Wonderful. Big story to capture. I was just a bit disappointed that it didn't really sweep me up by then end.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
83
91st
THE PIANIST should please those who enjoy survival tales, honest portrayals of the holocaust, great dramas, and especially fans of Polanski. Although the material has been covered before, it rarely has been done better.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
7
84th
It's about the Holocaust, so it MUST be a masterpiece!
Rated 08 Jul 2007
90
96th
So heartwrenching that I found it difficult to watch at times. I prefer this movie to Schindler's List for several reasons, not the least of which is Brody. Well done.
Rated 31 Mar 2007
100
95th
Excellent odyssey of real-life terror and serendipity
Rated 02 Mar 2007
70
82nd
A great film.
Rated 22 Jul 2024
90
92nd
A man trying to hold sanity... in the mist of chaos.
Rated 30 May 2024
70
66th
Adrien Brody own this movie.
Rated 18 May 2024
88
60th
This is a tour-de-force performance by Adrien Brody who perfectly captures the fragility and humanity of a concert pianist thrown into war-torn Poland during the World War. I liked the way the film highlighted the simple moments of connection within the grandiose scale of the historical events, while allowing the massive tides of war to crash in and disrupt the characters. It's a harrowing and somber journey and Brody, who is often on screen for long periods by himself, owns every frame of it.
Rated 18 Sep 2023
85
82nd
one of the saddest and most intense drama film i have watched in my entire life , the acting was superb and i like that they focused more on personal experiences rather than war events not like 99% of WWII movies. just one thing the ending was short-lived and there were some question marks still not answered, i wish the director had extended the ending a little to match the intensity of the movie
Rated 04 Sep 2023
70
70th
totally one of the greatest Jewish movies that you can see :)
Rated 16 Jul 2023
0
3rd
score 25 except for the director
Rated 27 May 2023
32
21st
Didn't really see why everyone liked it so much, perhaps it was relatively novel at the time?
Rated 27 May 2023
60
63rd
What’s good about this film is the decision to only show (more or less) what Szpilman experienced first-hand. Not a lot of laughs.
Rated 29 Jan 2023
53
67th
#23#, exp4, rw2, story, ratings, "Project 100-80-60-40-20"-2002#2
Rated 12 Dec 2022
85
79th
One word: heartbroken
Rated 25 May 2022
68
79th
It's hard not to compare The Pianist to Schindler's List as they cover similar material through contrasting perspectives. While Spielberg's film is defined by inflated villainy, heroism & pathos; Polanski's approach is more nuanced, with the characters seeming more human. As such Polanski better demonstrates the sacrifice, suffering, horror and humanity across the war. The film may suffer in pacing as Szpilman bounces from spot to spot, but Brody's excellent performance keeps it mostly engaging.
Rated 11 Dec 2021
88
64th
Yine bir 2. dünya savaşını konu alan bir film ile karşı karşıyayız. Savaşın mental baskısını iliklerinize kadar hissedeceğiniz ve yahudi bir piyanistin hayatta kalma mücadelesinden deneyimleyeceğiniz bir yapıt. Maslowun piramidinin en alt basamaklarında tıkalı kalmış dönemi en iyi hissettiren filmlerden biri olarak düşünüyorum. Böyle trajik konular hakkında film yapma eğilimi fazladır ancak bu film ötekilerden farklıdır. Baş rol Adrien Brody in müthiş oynculuğunu da not olarak düşelim Puanım 8.8
Rated 09 Dec 2021
85
79th
How can a man not die despite all the insistence...
Rated 01 Nov 2021
59
4th
Schindler's List is better in my opinion as it is more people-focused. The Pianist feels individual-centered albeit there were other people who were trying to escape the situation he's been. Overall I know the movie isn't even focused on music and musical performances. It's survivalism. Talk about survivalism, The Hunger Games has a better portrayal and description for it.
Rated 06 Aug 2021
96
97th
?????????1900?????????????????1900????????????????????????????????????????????1900?????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Rated 13 Jan 2021
81
18th
1
Rated 15 Dec 2020
68
75th
The biggest thing working against it is the pacing, for some reason it seems far longer than it is, perhaps because of the episodic nature of Szpilman moving from hideout to hideout. Brody is of course excellent, but unfortunately his Best Actor win from this seems to have crippled his career immediately afterward.
Rated 11 Oct 2020
93
92nd
This is rather interesting way to show the horrors of Holocaust. Before watching this, i had my doubts as there is so many Holocaust movies made and i didnt expect anything new. Movie turned up to be interesting and enjoyable. And the music was beautiful.
Rated 05 Oct 2020
5
92nd
The culmination in the end justify the long and some time long minutes of watching. Well deserved Oscar for Brody's performance. *Very good
Rated 03 Oct 2020
90
95th
Wladyslaw Szpilman: "Here, sell this. Food is more important than time."
Rated 07 Aug 2020
83
97th
Opinión personal: 8,5 Actores: 9 Planos: 8 Guión: 8 BSO/FX: 8 Total: 83
Rated 14 Apr 2020
77
73rd
A brutal portrayal of WWII Poland. A bit drawn-out and meandering at times, but the story tugs you along through the mud.
Rated 11 Mar 2020
86
95th
Seen: 2.
Rated 19 Feb 2020
100
96th
The true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman's struggle to survive the German occupation of Poland. Tense, brutal and heartbreaking.
Rated 14 Sep 2019
80
79th
This is much more a war film than a musical drama - there are perhaps surprisingly few scenes actually depicting the main characters music playing but of course the whole story is entirely centered around him and its a chilling depiction of the inhumane treatment of Jews during (among?) the darkest times of the 20th century.
Rated 03 Sep 2019
96
98th
Seen 2x
Rated 20 Jul 2019
98
97th
A
Rated 21 Apr 2019
65
30th
Well acted poignant story of a pianist in the holocaust.
Rated 12 Apr 2019
94
61st
My SCORING: 99-96=Great; 95-90=Very good; 89-85=Good; 84-80=So-so; 79-70=Boring; Below 70=Forget it.
Rated 17 Jun 2018
95
65th
Comments are not needed
Rated 08 Mar 2018
95
95th
Amazing.
Rated 29 Dec 2017
77
38th
not relatable, didn't find much content
Rated 24 Nov 2017
86
72nd
|BACKFILLING LOAD OF FILMS NOT SEEN FOR LONG TIME -> Scores poss 20-30% out. Grateful if U drop me a cordial msg if U think memory dulled a gem or gave rosy tint 2 clunker. IE. Tell me WHY Im wrong & what U think I should score
Rated 26 Aug 2017
86
94th
Loved it! This is a class movie! no wonder it won the "Palme de or"! Oscar material.....among the best WW2 movie out there...the movie is so real like you really feel for poor Vlad. Hats off to Adrien Brody I think he won an Oscar for his performance in this film.
Rated 09 Aug 2017
77
84th
A very difficult to watch drama, anchored in a performance for the ages by Brody. It's a tale of endurance, that appropriately tests the audience's.
Rated 18 Feb 2017
83
75th
Frequent scenes involving Germans doing headshots. Meh. Other than, it's a wonderful movie.
Rated 22 Oct 2016
90
80th
Viewed October 19, 2016. Music is universal, but for a few years, it ceased to matter. That is a horrifying thought. The Holocaust robbed us of more beauty than we could ever possibly imagine. The scene that hits hardest for me is Szpilman, at the piano, playing only inside of his head - here, the insatiable need to create merges with the need to survive. Expression and existence become one and the same.
Rated 28 Jul 2016
85
84th
such a unique POV for a WW2/holocaust film
Rated 21 Feb 2016
10
50th
Star Rating: ★★★
Rated 23 Aug 2015
90
96th
I was thoroughly impressed with this
Rated 15 Aug 2015
100
98th
Adrien Brody is sublime here, perfect for this harrowing true story.
Rated 26 Jun 2015
87
66th
Sticks with you long after...
Rated 28 Mar 2015
76
88th
3.79/5
Rated 18 Nov 2014
85
40th
Adrien Brody won an Oscar for this. Interesting. Not wholly undeserved but definitely not what you'd expect to win such a Hollywood self-styled "prestigious" award as Best Actor.
Rated 12 Nov 2014
70
48th
It's a good movie but I didn't quite get what was so special about this.
Rated 01 Jul 2014
60
28th
Emotive subject matter supports so-so presentation. The film is clunky and obvious, the use of English instead of Polish grates and the final leg of the film is a slog to get through. Still the contrast between creation and destruction is fascinating, Adrien Brody is great, and it is hard to not be repulsed by and furious at the acts that are shown even if they are (almost inevitably) clunkily brought to the screen.
Rated 29 May 2014
72
83rd
Starring Adrien Brody's hands!
Rated 20 Apr 2014
97
99th
Beautiful
Rated 04 Apr 2014
28
84th
I liked him more in the OC.
Rated 01 Apr 2014
100
95th
2013/09/26
Rated 05 Mar 2014
84
96th
A raw and honest examination of the sadness and dehumanization of people in war. Polanski achieve this through one man, he is not your typical hero but a survivor and it's through his struggle and observations we feel the true horror. Brody is exceptional, the physical transformation combined with genuine sorrow and desperation is affecting. The beautiful piano music also helps. I wish the movie was more dynamic and I think the german soldiers are portrayed too onedimensional with one exception.
Rated 17 Jan 2014
90
81st
Beautiful. I've cried every time I saw this movie. Especially the scene where he plays the piano for the German soldier in the abandoned house.
Rated 22 Dec 2013
96
89th
Well-acted and dramatically moving, The Pianist is Polanski's best work in years.
Rated 26 Nov 2013
88
52nd
Beautiful.
Rated 12 Oct 2013
76
81st
Good film that is difficult to watch and moving, but at times also distant and slow. Not something I will watch again any time soon, but it did make an impact.

Collections

Loading ...

Similar Titles

Loading ...

Statistics

Loading ...

Trailer

Loading ...