Remember This Parent Guide

Although he had hoped to be a diplomat, Jan Karski (David Strathairn) was born in the wrong place and the wrong time for such a peaceful life. Poland in the late 1930’s is a nation on the brink of a devastating war, and Karski is soon conscripted into the Polish Army. Polish defenses quickly crumble when faced by the Nazi’s blitzkrieg invasion and then a second invasion by the Soviet Union. Karski finds himself wandering the countryside, looking for a way home. Instead, he finds a new job as an information courier for the newly formed Polish Underground. His task is to observe the conditions within Poland to be communicated to the Government in Exile. The hope is that with this first-hand information, the Polish government, and more importantly, the Allies, will be able to intervene and prevent the depredations and cruelties which currently brutalize the people of Poland. But even after Karski has seen so much, who’s to say he’ll be believed?

This one-man-show sees David Strathairn explaining the real life of Jan Karski in a small white room, decorated only with a table and a few chairs. Despite the humble environment, Strathairn (with the help of some sound effects and lighting changes) brings Karski’s chilling story to life. The tale is filled with historical horrors but the film avoids particularly graphic details, only providing enough information to give a clear picture of events, without trying to cash in on any perceived shock value. It also avoids profanity, sexual content, or drug use, making this a remarkably suitable resource for students studying World War 2 generally and the Holocaust specifically.

There might be some issues with that younger audience, though, and those mostly relate to the simplicity of the format. All we see is Strathairn in a small room for an hour and a half, talking about his adventures and what he witnessed, but the action is very muted by the format. My biggest hangup was his Polish accent, which isn’t terrible but is distracting. I honestly would have preferred that he just did it in his actual voice, but I suppose an actor with his record is allowed to make that call for himself.

A story about moral courage, profound bravery, and the unmanageable horrors of the Holocaust, Remember This manages difficult subjects with an elegance rarely seen – if you have the patience and focus for its simple narrative style. Karski’s real-life heroism is intended not only to be informative, but inspirational. The film is quick to remind its audience that, while the holocaust ended nearly 80 years ago, it is not the only genocide that has occurred, and some are still occurring now. What this film asks of us is to think of something we are not already doing and do it – that with a combined outpouring of focus and effort, ordinary people can make a difference. I only hope that we can make that effort in time.