WOMAN IN GOLD (2015)

Maria Altmann, an octogenarian Jewish refugee, takes on the Austrian government to recover artwork she believes rightfully belongs to her family. — IMDB

A lot better than I expected. Helen Mirren is excellent as the somewhat eccentric Maria Altmann who wants to pursue the retrieval of a family painting from Austria stolen by the Nazis during WWII. And her relationship with Ryan Reynolds, who plays here inexperienced lawyer, is beautifully drawn. The story is at times sad, frustrating, and humorous – but overall is inspiring. The thing that saves the movie from being somewhat bland is the flashback approach to the story, where we see the young Maria coping with all the stresses of being a young Jewish girl fleeing Nazi persecution and the connection to the present – plus the sharp dialogue between the two leads. A good solid movie about a fascinating story.