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“Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” (2024, 132 min., directed by Todd Komarnicki)

In recent years, Hollywood’s inconsistent production schedule has left movie theaters scrambling to find films to fill seats. One of the independent studios filling the gap is Angel Studios, whose newest picture, “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.,” is a prime example of a movie Hollywood could have made in years past. 

Written and directed by Todd Komarnicki, producer of “Elf” and writer of “Sully,” Angel Studios was serious about making “Bonhoeffer” an Academy Awards contender. Komarnicki delivers a drama with similar tendencies to Christopher Nolan’s pictures, albeit on a leaner budget. 

“Bonhoeffer” follows the life of the man the film is named for. Dietrich Bonhoeffer is well-known to Christians as a man of paradoxes. He was a Christian who swore off religion, a community-focused pastor who wrote 34 theology volumes and a pacifist who tried to assassinate Adolf Hitler. 

Angel Studios, who distributed “Bonhoeffer,” rose to prominence as the distributors of “The Chosen” series, although they no longer have ties with that production. “Bonhoeffer” is one of Angel Studios’ recent attempts to break into the worldwide box office. 

Since the writer’s strike in 2023, theaters have been starved of Hollywood movies to show, leaving them to turn to non-traditional distributors for pictures to show audiences. Angel Studios took advantage of the lack of major motion pictures with “Sound of Freedom,” the 2023 surprise summer blockbuster which grossed $184,178,046 according to Box Office Mojo. 

Director Komarnicki wisely chose German actor Jonas Dassler to play Bonhoeffer. Best known for German films and television like “The Golden Glove” and “Never Look Away,” Dassler brought so much gravatas to his depiction of Bonhoeffer that he will likely begin appearing in Hollywood casting calls soon. 

Because he is entirely unknown to American audiences, Dassler can fully embody Bonhoeffer without an issue typical of biopics. When an American actor is chosen for a biopic – for instance, Freddie Mercury as played by Rami Malik in “Bohemian Rhapsody” – suspension of disbelief is significantly more difficult. Simply put, Malik looked like he was wearing a Freddie Mercury costume because the audience knew it was Malik. By not knowing who Dassler is, audiences have less difficulty suspending disbelief that he is the German pastor. 

“Bonhoeffer” cuts frequently between the main character’s final weeks and a selection of moments throughout his life used to illustrate the kind of man he was. While the time jumps are not as masterfully presented as can be found in many of Nolan’s films, “Bonhoeffer” does make use of the format, impressing a sense of imminent doom throughout the film. 

The featured collection of moments throughout his life are more journal entries than a traditional narrative. By stringing together the disconnected scenes in an intentional manner, Komarnicki created a compelling timeline of Bonhoeffer’s personal fight against injustice and institutionalized evil. 

While mostly set in Nazi Germany, “Bonhoeffer” does not show any of the war and little of the concentration camps, choosing to center on the pastor’s personal crusade to purge the German Lutheran Church of the Nazi plague that had infiltrated it. 

“The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel was prominently featured in trailers for “Bonhoeffer.” Graciously, this piece, which is entirely unrelated to the subject matter, was nowhere to be heard in the final cut of the film. Instead, a curated collection of period accurate music populates the picture. 

With a significant portion of the film taking place in 1920’s Harlem, “Bonhoeffer” includes a jazz and gospel soundtrack. One memorable moment came as the pastor introduced his seminary students in Germany to Black American spirituals, dropping the needle on Paul Robeson’s rendition of “Swing Low Sweet Chariot.” 

Christians are not the only demographic who might find something edifying in this picture. “Bonhoeffer” offers poignant dialog on race, war and speaking out against hate. 

Bonhoeffer’s martyrdom is befitting for the big screen: A larger-than-life figure on a larger-than-life silver screen. While not the pinnacle of Hollywood magic, the gut-wrenching, honest depiction of his defiance in the face of tyranny is inspiring and memorable.

Rating: 4/5