This The Optimist film review covers one of the most quietly powerful films in theatres right now. Director Finn Taylor sets his story amongst the stately Redwoods of Marin County, California, where an elderly man has just been told to get his affairs in order. He doesn’t have long.
The Optimist Film Review
Hubert Heller (Stephen Lang) suffers a panic attack on hearing the news, his mind flooding with horrific images from his childhood in Nazi concentration camps: Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, and Gross-Rosen. He witnessed atrocities. He lost his father. And for decades, he told no one, not his family, not a soul, burying it all while building a good life running a toy store in California.
Realising the burden is no longer sustainable, Heller joins a therapy circle. There he meets Abby (Elsie Fisher), a troubled young woman carrying her own unspoken pain. She won’t talk about what haunts her, but as Heller slowly begins to share his story, something shifts. His unburdening, offered quietly and without agenda, finally gives her permission to do the same.
About the Film The Optimist is directed by Finn Taylor and stars Stephen Lang and Elsie Fisher. It is based on a true story. The film is rated PG13 and runs approximately 96 minutes. It opens in theatres March 2026.
This fact-based story of suffering, survival, connection, and reclaiming one’s life is deeply moving from start to finish. The performances are restrained and powerful, never reaching for easy sentiment. It would also serve as a meaningful and accessible introduction for younger audiences to the legacy of the Nazi Third Reich and the possibility of enduring and healing.
The Optimist is in theatres now.
