Denial

It's the truth that is at stake when American historian Deborah E. Lipstadt (Rachel Weisz) takes British Holocaust denier David Irving (Timothy Spall) to task in print for his lies and over-the-top grandstanding. Claiming libel, Irving takes Lipstadt to court—in the UK, where, ironically, the burden of proof is on the accused. Lipstadt's legal team, including barrister Richard Rampton (Tom Wilkinson), set out on a long journey of proof that takes them through mounds of research as well as through the rubble of Auschwitz. It's gripping at every level, with a stellar ensemble led by Weisz, Wilkinson, and Spall—who plays Irving with all the bravura of a confident narcissist. Avoiding mere courtroom drama, the intellectual and strategic jousting and the emotional turmoil involved are brilliantly balanced in David Hare's screenplay. In its exploration of freedom of speech versus perversion of truth, and the humanity underlying it all, this powerful film couldn't be timelier.