The Zone of Interest

An idyllic setting. A large family laughing and having fun in the sun, a picnic and swimming in the lake, then home in the cars to their big comfortable house. Where they have a perfect garden, and servants aplenty. Daddy reads bedtime stories to the kids, and makes his wife laugh. He plays with the dog. In the morning he's given his birthday present, a canoe, and sets off to work. He's good at his job, respected by his staff, admired by his peers, valued and trusted by his superiors, a byword for efficiency and organisation, an innovator who brings new ideas and improvements to the business. A model tale of middle class success.

Like living near to a railway, or under a flight path, where you soon learn to ignore, even forget, the noises of trains and planes, the noises from Daddy's workplace, next door to home, are background only, and no disturbance to the perfection. The barbed wire atop the tall wall at the foot of the garden, the sounds of shouting and screaming and shooting, the sight of the smoke and flames from the incinerators, are all part of the accustomed landscape. Just like Daddy's SS uniform, and his job.

Daddy is Rudolf Hoss, the commandant of the Auschwitz death camp. His job is to maximise throughput of Jewish 'untermenschen' into those incinerators, to be turned into smoke ands ash. Like any successful businessman, he takes pride in his work, and attention to detail. He knows he is a valued member of  his community.

The historian Hannah Arendt is famed for the phrase "the banality of evil", which she used it during the trial of Eichmann, who merits a mention in the film as Hoss' boss. This movie is the perfect depiction of that. It doesn't always work, for there are some strange moments that jar, but overall the slow, quiet pace, the sheer ordinariness of the characters, is as great a horror as seeing inside the camp (which we never do, except a modern day sequence in what is now the Auschwitz museum).  Because it is possible to see how this could be anyone. Any one of us. And that is terrifying.

Great performances from Christian Friedel as Hoss and Sandra Huller as his wife Hedwig. One the confident manager, the other a happy beneficiary of her husband's success story. She's fully aware, and approving, of what he does, and has no desire to give up the fruits of his labours. Should be compulsory viewing, because this will remain within you for a long time after.