The Goldman Case Review: Fascinating Court Drama

Cédric Kahn’s The Goldman Case invites the audience to pass their judgment on the real-life court case it examines.

The movie only focuses on a very small portion of his life, and yet it made me interested in learning as much as I could about the real-life man whose life and misfortunes inspired it.

Set in Paris in November 1975, The Goldman Case depicts the appeal hearing of the titular character Pierre Goldman (Arieh Worthalter). He is a Jewish far-left activist sentenced to life imprisonment for having committed four armed robberies and being involved in the death of two women in one of them. During the court case, Goldman keeps pleading not guilty to the murder charges, claiming that “I am innocent because I am innocent,” as he often intervenes during the hearing, causing conflict with his lawyer Georges Kiejman (Arthur Harari). At large, this real-life story also speaks to the bigger historical context of France at the time, a country torn apart by racism and injustice.

From the very beginning, it is clear that The Goldman Case approaches a complicated and controversial case with the care and attention that it requires. This is evident from the work that went into making this film as both Kahn and co-writer Nathalie Hertzberg conducted very attentive documentary research. They interviewed some of the real-life people involved in the trial and looked at newspaper articles of the time in order to reconstruct the trial proceedings. This all pays off, as everything in the film feels very real and historically accurate, from the costumes to the way the court hearing works and presents the case.

Most importantly, The Goldman Case gives neither the characters in the film nor the audience pre-packaged answers. At no point during the movie does Kahn give us an idea of whether or not Goldman is guilty of the crimes he is accused of. Just like for the courtroom audience in the film, the only thing we can do is eventually make up our minds on the matter by listening to the evidence submitted, the witnesses’ statements, and Goldman’s own defence, which is particularly strong and fascinating thanks to Worthalter’s performance.  While focusing on the political reality of 1970s France with high tension and the very real possibility of insurrection, the film is still interestingly able to speak to the extremely politically divided situation of the country today.

Overall, The Goldman Case does feel a little too long. Just like the characters, it is easy for the audience to feel trapped within one singular setting: the courtroom that we never leave for the whole length of the film. This may be fascinating as an idea, but it soon becomes repetitive in both its visuals and style. Perhaps this is to its merit as it only adds to the feeling of realism. As a film that focuses exclusively on the court hearing, it does make sense that it would feel rather lengthy at one point, which is probably very true to actual real-life court hearings.

The Goldman Case perfectly depicts the historical context it is set in, making it a great film for those in the audience who are particularly interested in historical dramas. It is also a window into a real case that many viewers may not be aware of before watching the movie, especially as this is a story that also speaks to today’s political atmosphere rather than just being a story frozen in time. Despite some faults in its pacing, it is still a strong product, especially thanks to the clever writing and the main characters’s powerful performances.

The Goldman Case will be released in UK and Irish cinemas on September 20, 2024. is now available to watch in US theaters.