tlavideo.com

Review

A serious attempt to gauge the political climate of post-WWI Germany and examine what would eventually push a young Adolf Hitler towards the dispicable acts of anti-Semitism that would come to shape the Nazi regime, the bold but ultimately shallow Max is a difficult watch. Cusack, who's in fine form here, plays Max Rothman, a disabled veteran of WWI whose art career evaporated when he lost his right arm in battle. Now an art promoter specializing in Modernism, he comes across struggling artist Hitler (Taylor), a corporal with strong conservative views. With Rothman acting as his mentor, Hitler's artistic aspirations collide with those of his army commander, who sees in the young man leadership potential in a growing anti-Jewish movement. The theme of Hitler being torn between art and politics and two surrogate fathers is a bit heavy-handed, marked by disturbing diatribes on Aryan supremacy.