The Debt

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The Debt

R

Released Aug 31, 2011

2h 0m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Popcornmeter

77%

Tomatometer

182 Reviews

66%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

In 1965, young Mossad agent Rachel Singer (Jessica Chastain) and two comrades (Sam Worthington, Marton Csokas) are involved in a secret mission to capture a Nazi war criminal known as the Surgeon of Birkenau (Jesper Christensen). The mission ends with the man's death on the streets of East Berlin. Thirty years later, a man claiming to be the doctor has appeared, and Rachel (Helen Mirren), haunted by memories of past events, must return to Eastern Europe to uncover the truth.

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Critics Consensus

Its time-shifting narrative creates distracting casting problems, but ultimately, The Debt is a smart, well-acted entry in a genre that could use more like it.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

It never fully compels or meshes as the emotionally driven, multilayered, grown-up thriller it yearns to be.

Aug 31, 2018

Full Review

Laura Kern

Film Comment Magazine

The film delivers both as a love story and as an old-fashioned espionage thriller that no amount of implausibility can spoil.

Oct 9, 2011

Full Review

Kate Stables

Sight & Sound

The result is a sturdy, often suspenseful piece, but one that delivers less than it promises.

Oct 4, 2011

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Given the cast, setting, and heavy themes involved, one could hardly be blamed for expecting more.

Rated: 2.5/4

Mar 9, 2023

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Not just anybody can convincingly play the great Helen Mirren as a young woman, but Jessica Chastain pulls it off without breaking stride.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 28, 2021

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

Mirren looks and feels like a woman who has been carrying around the weight of her soul for 30 years.

Rated: 3.0/4.0

Sep 5, 2020

Full Review

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Frans B

Excellent and very captivating. Stellar and able cast all excels in character. Intelligent and riveting storytelling. Cinematography is just perfect. Real masterpiece, worth watching a couple of times, for sure

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/17/25

Full Review

Alain E

An excellent movie about facing the consequences of the Holocaust. Very well constructed, so that the shifts in time back and forth are immediately understood and create no confusion. It is based on a previous Israeli film that I plan to seek out. It handles successfully many important issues. How you treat an essentially political prisoner guilty of horrendous crimes. What type of interactions happen among operatives in high stress situations. How you balance the need to be truthful with political expediency. I found that from the beginning to the end the movie made solid choices and avoided cheap sentimentality or political bias. Available free on YouTube with brief but very LOUD ads.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

12/16/24

Full Review

Anthony W

Undervalued performance by Mirren.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/05/24

Full Review

Igor S

I didn't expect much from this movie but it ended up being a solid one. Has a bit of a depression mood to it but given the subject matter, it's understandable.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/24

Full Review

Dani G

Just OK. What you could expect from a movie like this, but well made

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

08/12/23

Full Review

Megan e

Good performances overshadowed by distracting timeline transitions and dreariness.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/26/23

Full Review

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John Madden

Director

Helen Mirren

Rachel Singer

Sam Worthington

Young David

Tom Wilkinson

Stefan

Ciarán Hinds

David

Jessica Chastain

Young Rachel Singer

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Critics Consensus: The Debt is Certified Fresh

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Synopsis

In 1965, young Mossad agent Rachel Singer (Jessica Chastain) and two comrades (Sam Worthington, Marton Csokas) are involved in a secret mission to capture a Nazi war criminal known as the Surgeon of Birkenau (Jesper Christensen). The mission ends with the man's death on the streets of East Berlin. Thirty years later, a man claiming to be the doctor has appeared, and Rachel (Helen Mirren), haunted by memories of past events, must return to Eastern Europe to uncover the truth.

Director: John Madden
Producer: Eduardo Rossoff, Kris Thykier, Matthew Vaughn, Eitan Evan
Screenwriter: Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman, Peter Straughan
Distributor: Focus Features
Production Co: Miramax
Rating: R (Some Violence|Language)
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 31, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 1, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA): $31.1M
Runtime: 2h 0m

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