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‘The Performance’ Review: Jeremy Piven Excels as a Conflicted Jewish American Entertainer in 1936 Berlin
Shira Piven’s impressively adapts an Arthur Miller short story in the period drama "The Performance," which showcases a fine turn by Jeremy Piven.
But this largely faithful adaptation and intelligent expansion of a 2002 short story by Arthur Miller ultimately stands on its own merits as both vivid historical recreation and riveting cautionary fable, propelled by a career-highlight performance by Jeremy Piven — the director’s brother — as a man who learns the hard way just how quickly dreams can turn into nightmares. Along with members of his troupe — cynical ladies’ man Benny Worth (Adam Garcia), closeted young hoofer Paul Garner (Isaac Gryan), svelte singer Sira (Lara Wolf), and Carol Conway (Maimie McCoy), Harold’s once and future lover — he hopes to find steady employment (and, better still, a return to prominence) by signing on for a series of bookings throughout Europe. Director of photography Lael Utnik artfully enhances the pungent period flavor of “The Performance” with swaths of 16mm footage (much of it supposedly shot by the eager young Paul) and archival material, and joins forces with editors Jessica Hernandez, Oona Flaherty and Michael Hofacre to amp the kinetic energy of the dance sequences.
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