THIS ORDINARY THING is a poignant but wholly unsentimental examination of what it is that brings out altruistic instincts in people who are witnesses to a catastrophe-- in this case, the Holocaust. Nick Davis has found a group of witnesses who hid Jews or intervened in other ways and let them speak of their motives and actions in a way that will cause anyone who watches this film to think about what he or she would have done in similar circumstances. It is a deft, subtle piece of filmmaking, one devoid of righteousness or preachiness, and speaks with directness and clarity to the issue of acting humanely in inhuman times.

Daphne Merkin, Literary critic and essayist

THIS ORDINARY THING is no ordinary thing…. simple poetic imagery, exceptional choices….An inspiring Holocaust film… The length of the film at one-hour is a perfect choice. And the brief selections of anecdotes and details make them all the more powerful in their brevity. The shortness gives the film a tremendous momentum…. I had tears streaming down my face by the end.

Paul Barnes, Editor and Producer for Ken Burns

It’s a documentary, but it doesn’t feel like one. There is no narration. The stories by the very people who lived them unfold in firsthand narratives, brought vividly to life by a splendid ensemble of some of our finest actors: F. Murray Abraham, Ellen Burstyn, Carrie Coon, Stephen Fry, Marcia Gay Harden, Jeremy Irons, Bill Irwin, John Leguizamo, Helen Mirren, Bebe Neuwirth, David Hyde Pierce, Lily Tomlin — the list goes on. Their voices overlay images of the real-life subjects, and rather than coming across as ghosts of the past, these survivors and rescuers feel present, almost as if they’re speaking to us over a cup of tea across a kitchen table.

Director Nick Davis crafts the film with extraordinary care. It is never angry — it is gentle — and though profoundly sad, it carries an unexpected sense of uplift. Cinematographer Peter Peregrine’s new footage is seamlessly intertwined with archival material by editor Josh Freed, so much so that I often couldn’t tell them apart. Adam Guettel (grandson of Richard Rodgers) contributes a haunting score that subtly but powerfully amplifies the emotional weight.

In This Ordinary Thing, we feel as though we are there, inside the horror — not witnessing shadows, but living alongside real human beings whose courage shines through the darkest chapters of history. And what’s most chilling: the film holds up a mirror to today, suggesting how frighteningly close we remain to such hatred and indifference.

Do we really need another film about Jews and Nazis? The answer is a resounding yes. This is a story that must continue to be told, heard, and remembered. Do yourself a favor — see This Ordinary Thing.

Greg Abbott, Stage and Cinema

Holocaust movies are often problematic. So much of the material is familiar and repetitive. Many audiences have grown inured to the subject if not downright turned off, for whatever reasons. Instead of focusing on the relentless atrocities and victims, his film, THIS ORDINARY THING shines a light on the often forgotten heroes of the era….. The 62-minute film, with haunting music by Tony-winner Adam Guettel, is understated and subtle. Set within a chronological structure, starting at the cusp of the Holocaust and continuing post liberation and beyond, these courageous figures recount matter-of-factly what they observed and experienced. Devoid of back stories, short of their names and countries of origin, they become, in the film, at once heroes and historical witnesses…. The word “inspiring” does not cut it. I watched this one gob-smacked.

Simi Horowitz, Forward

THIS ORDINARY THING is a riveting documentary that uncovers haunting stories of non-Jewish people who miraculously helped save thousands of Jewish lives across Europe during World War II.

Susan Hornik, AISH.com