My Neighbor Adolf Movie Review

This movie is about, for lack of a better way to say it, two grumpy old men who live next door to one another. They finally meet and realize they have incredible differences. Can they move beyond those differences is what you’ll be finding out, especially when you find out what they have in common.

“My Neighbor Adolf” is remarkable. I went in thinking that, based on who’s in it, it’d be worth watching, but not a big deal. I’m here to tell you, if you don’t see it, you’re missing out. It easily made my top ten for 2025… top five, perhaps. It came out several years ago, in other countries. We’re lucky to be getting it now. Since we are, don’t miss the opportunity you’ve been given. It’s a bit morbid; it addresses the Holocaust without really coming out and saying so until later in the film. You give director Leon Prudovsky your permission and blessing to continue with that material when you see how well he’s handling it.

When the film opens, you meet the Polskys. It’s 1934, they’re taking a family photo, and, outside of the family, there’s focus on a black rose bush. It’s 26 years later, and we’re in South America. Mr. Polsky, the only surviving member of that family, lives in a neighborhood of only two houses. The other is empty. He likes it that way. All he needs is his rose bush and peace and quiet. They are all that is left of her… they are her. Not far in, someone is moving into the other house. Say it isn’t so! The neighbor has a nosy German Shepard.

A woman comes to his door who eventually tells him that his rose bush is on Mr. Herzog’s, her boss’s, side of the fence. This starts a bit of a war. The movie gets so good at this point. Especially when the dog, Wolfie, crosses the fence. A pile of poop creates an opportunity for the two to meet. Mr. Polsky sees the dead, blue eyes he hasn’t seen since he was a boy. It’s Adolph Hitler. So, for the rest of the film, he is determined to prove that his neighbor is the German dictator. He starts looking through books to find things his neighbor and Hitler have in common. Surprisingly, there are many things that seem to prove his theory. He laughs at how the two are terrible artists.

Over the course of a chess game, the men develop a kinship. Our protagonist must look more deeply into who the man is to connect him to Hitler, so what better way than to become friends? Not that he thought they would be. It gets better and better as the film progresses. I actually laughed out loud, even though I was by myself watching it. Thankfully, I get to tell you to see this so you can enjoy it as much as I did. Do. Not. Miss. This. Film!! Great Performances. Wonderful plot. Fantastic Script. I can’t say enough about it. You’ll find yourself on the side of the chief character, but you won’t mind the other lead either. Is he Hitler? Who knows. All you know is he’s entertaining either way.