My Best Enemy

(3.5 STARS) Unique Austrian WWII Suspense Drama (Ignore the Misleading DVD Jacket)
"Mein bester Feind" ("My Best Enemy") is an Austrian film starring Moritz Bleibtreu ("Run Lola Run" "The Baader Meinhof Complex") as a son of a renowned Jewish art gallery owner living in Vienna when Hitler is about to annex Austria. In this suspense drama Victor has to survive the dark times of the Holocaust, using two things very cleverly: his brain and a secret about a Michelangelo drawing that the Nazi officers are desperately after.

Set in 1938 Vienna, the film's story centers on Victor Kaufmann, son of a wealthy Jewish family, and Rudi Smekal (Georg Friedrich), his best friend and son of the mother who worked for the Kaufmanns as a housemaid for 25 years. One day Victor shows Rudi something very precious - a drawing of Michelangelo that Victor's father Jakob (Udo Samel) possesses in a secret room of the house. Soon Victor realizes his mistake, however, when days later Nazi SS officers arrive to confiscate the drawing. But Victor's father, who knew this could happen,...

One True Sight For The Screen
'Mein bester Freund' or in Enlgish, My Best Enemy, is a wonderful masterpiece that explores the complications between once 'close as brothers' friends becoming the worst of enemies. The movie begins with a reunion and then sharp reveal of Rudi's true identity as a Nazi. In time, a significant accident reverses their roles in society. The story reveals itself quite beautifully and paced just right. With black humour lingering around the movie, it isn't your usual WWII film about Jewish persecution.

From a movie enthusiast such as yourself, this film is great if you love movies with comedy, black humour, and want a WWII movie [that is based in Europe] with a happy ending for the persecuted Jews.

Schadenfreude and Mistaken Idenity
Mein bester Feind (My Best Enemy) is a very enjoyable drama, complete with a HAPPY ENDING, something so rare with movies about WWII Nazi persecution of Jews. The central story concerns the betrayal of the friendship between two "blood brothers", one an upper crust Viennese Jew, and the other the son of the Kaufmann family's maid. The ubiquitous Moritz Bleibtreu plays Victor Kaufmann, the son of a very prosperous jewish art dealer. As the story opens in 1938, Victor's "foster brother" Rudi has returned to Vienna, just days before the Nazis annexed Austria. To complicate matters, both guys are in love with the same woman, but she loves Victor. Rudi, unbeknownst to his best friend Victor, has joined the SS, and is ordered to retrieve a reputed Michelangelo drawing from the Kaufmann Family. Der Fuehrer intends to present to El Ducce the drawing, so as to cement their alliance. THat's the setup for a very entertaining, exciting story. MY BEST ENEMY has everything: a surprise Schadenfreude...

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