Parents' Guide to The Optimist

This Holocaust drama based on a true story doesn't shy away from tough imagery, but the focus is on healing and communication, with two exceptional performances. Written and directed by Finn Taylor, The Optimist in the title is Herbert's father, who, like Roberto Benigni in Life Is Beautiful, tries to keep looking on the bright side—but there's no comedy here, only a genuine quality. At one point, Herbert says that he thinks his father's misinformation "kept me alive, but it also kept me stuck." The movie is about his realization that, rather than protecting his family from the truth, being honest is far more freeing; he tries to pass this superpower on to Abby, and their conversations are uniquely revealing.

Lang has gotten attention for playing grizzled, hardened badasses in movies like Don't Breathe and Sisu: Road to Revenge, but he shows a surprisingly vulnerable side here, breaking down into a panicked flashback whenever he sees a pair of black boots. And Fisher is no longer the teen of Eighth Grade, but she still plays teen trauma like no one else. Her Abby seems like a real person, rather than a trained actor kid tucked into hair, makeup, and costume. Ultimately, it feels like Abby's story gets slightly less emphasis than Herbert's, but otherwise, The Optimist is awash in admirable themes. Plus it's always good to get yet another reminder that Nazis are bad and that we should never let an atrocity like that happen again.