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The Devil's Arithmetic

The Devil's Arithmetic

TV Movie · Drama · Thriller · 1999

An American-born Jewish adolescent, Hannah Stern, is uninterested in the culture, faith and customs of her relatives. However, she begins to revaluate her heritage when she has a supernatural experience that transports her back to a Nazi death camp in 1941. There she meets a young girl named Rivkah, a fellow captive in the camp. As Rivkah and Hannah struggle to survive in the face of daily atrocities, they form an unbreakable bond.

Movie details

The Devil's Arithmetic

“She saw the truth with her own eyes.”

1999 TV Movie · Drama · Thriller 1h 35m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.8 / 10

Community rating

An American-born Jewish adolescent, Hannah Stern, is uninterested in the culture, faith and customs of her relatives. However, she begins to revaluate her heritage when she has a supernatural experience that transports her back to a Nazi death camp in 1941. There she meets a young girl named Rivkah, a fellow captive in the camp. As Rivkah and Hannah struggle to survive in the face of daily atrocities, they form an unbreakable bond.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Devil's Arithmetic?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Topaz

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Drama · 1969

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A reporter, fired after refusing to give names to a 1951 House Un-American Activities Committee, takes a part-time job as companion to an old lady. While working she overhears a noisy argument in the neighboring house, being conducted largely in German and involving her HUAC prosecutor. She begins to investigate, enlisting the help of the FBI Agent initially detailed to surveil her.

Raid on Entebbe

Raid on Entebbe

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Uprising

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In the Warsaw ghetto in 1943, Jews rise against the Nazis.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Donna Deitch

Written by

Robert J. Avrech

Kirsten Dunst

Kirsten Dunst

Hannah Stern

Brittany Murphy

Brittany Murphy

Rivkah

Paul Freeman

Paul Freeman

Rabbi

Mimi Rogers

Mimi Rogers

Leonore Stern

Louise Fletcher

Louise Fletcher

Aunt Eva

Leonardas Pobedonoscevas

Leonardas Pobedonoscevas

Isaac

Mantas Vaitiekūnas

Mantas Vaitiekūnas

Vossel

Court is in session

Put The Devil's Arithmetic on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.