The Counterfeiters is a powerful tale of ethics set to the backdrop of the Nazi regime in the late 30's. While certainly similar to Holocaust dramas like Schindler's List and The Pianist, this German import is much smaller in scale. Having said that, it's still a profound look at the power of money and the resiliancy of the human spirit.

In The Counterfeiters Karl Markovics plays Salomon Sorowitsch, an artist and more importantly, a genius at the art of manufacturing fake currency. This particular talent has made him arrogant and that arrogance leads to his capture at the hands of police officer Friedrich Herzog (Played by Devid Striesow). Salomon is sent to prison where he uses his ability to paint as a way to earn perks amongst the hateful German guards. Shortly thereafter, he's transferred to a concentration camp in Sachsenhausen where he soon finds himself under the watchful eye of the very man who arrested him five years earlier. Before long, Salomon realizes he'll need to rely on his expert counterfeiting skills just to stay alive.

The Counterfeiters is based on a true story. During the late 30's the Nazis used imprisoned Jews with special skills to manufacture fake currency in an attempt to destroy the British and American economies. This intimate, heartfelt film delves into the lives of the men who were forced to bring this diabolical plan to fruition.

Karl Markovics is outstanding in the lead role - lending equal measures cockiness and vulnerability to a man whose illegal skill would ultimately become the key to his survival. As the film opens, we're not entirely certain how this ordeal has affected him but when we see his experiences through flashback, it becomes painfully obvious. Devid Striesow is effective as Herzog, a man who isn't quite as callous as he appears. August Diehl is also outstanding as a vocal inmate who clearly opposes his enforced collaboration with the enemy. The power struggle that develops between he and Salomon is high among the strongest elements of the film.

The Counterfeiters is outstanding film making. It does offer up gut wrenching images, but it's the quieter, subtle moments that really make this movie so effective. Sadly, this one isn't getting a wide release so you'll have to seek it out. It's definitely worth it.