As a Christian, if you’ve ever read Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s incredible tome, The Cost of Discipleship, you know how important putting action to your faith is in times like these. Having read the book, I’ll admit I didn’t know much about Bonhoeffer’s life outside of Wikipedia entries. From Angel Studios, Todd Komarnicki’s biopic, Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. brings the joyful and tragic life of Bonhoeffer to the big screen.
Our story walks down two parallel paths in the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The first follows Bonhoeffer to his ultimate death at the hands of the Third Reich from the moment he was placed in a truck and its longer journey to the gallows. The second path explores the events leading to his capture, which shape his state of mind as he faces imminent execution.
The film begins with Bonhoeffer as a young pastor in the German Lutheran church, initially languishing in mediocrity. A fateful trip to New York introduces him to the spirit-infused Christianity of Southern gospel music and the vibrant world of jazz. These experiences broaden Bonhoeffer’s perspective on faith, inspiring his thesis on “cheap grace versus costly grace.” This foundational idea—that God’s grace demands action, even at great personal cost—shapes the rest of his life.
Bonhoeffer’s convictions are tested as Hitler rises to power, with the Nazi Party infiltrating public institutions, including the church. As the Reich demands loyalty to Hitler, Bonhoeffer emerges as a vocal dissenter, drawing the ire of both the Nazis and church leaders. The environment worsens as Hitler implements the Final Solution, leading to Bonhoeffer’s increasing dismay over the church’s silence. This inner turmoil ultimately leads him to wrestle with his role in an underground plot to assassinate Hitler.
“…wrestle with his role in an underground plot to assassinate Hitler.”
I love Angel Studios’ remarkable rise in the quality of faith-based storytelling, though there still is a way to go. Sometimes, a biopic of this nature tends to be scene after scene of the subject’s greatest hits. Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. seems to have smoothed out many of the edges, creating a real-life thriller in the end. It’s very much an upgrade as it transcends many of the clichés often associated with faith-based films.
Jonas Dassler is fantastic as Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Considering that Bonhoeffer was a low-key person in the first place, Dassler finds the right nuance and subtlety, injecting the right amount of energy into Bonhoeffer’s character arc.
The production quality is top-notch for an indie film, with impressive sets and attention to detail. It’s encouraging to see independent studios step up to tell the stories Hollywood often avoids. Claims of promoting Christian nationalism feel misrepresented, as the film’s true antagonist is clearly Hitler. Context is king, doubters.
Ultimately, the heart of the film is its message embodied in the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The film’s primary audience is the church and how it must influence the world today. In fact, this message is the point of the film. It’s currently being vilified in the press as a story of Christian nationalism, which is ironic as Bonhoeffer’s sole villain in the story is Hitler (context is king, doubters). Ultimately, it reminds Christians that their faith is more than a label, but a call to action toward what Jesus described his people as…salt and light to the world. Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. is a must-see movie of hope.
"…real-life thriller in the end."
