"Son of Saul" is not easy to view. This movie review will not be easy to read. It has not been easy to write.

In the genre of narrative-fiction Holocaust films, "Son of Saul" is one of the most relentlessly grim. The list in the genre is long. Among these are: "Schindler's List," 1993; "Life Is Beautiful," 1997; "The Pianist," 2002; "Escape from Sobibor," 1987, and "Judgment at Nuremberg," 1961.Many of the fictional accounts have a point of view placed within a larger context. We are not mentioning the many documentary films about the Holocaust here. With "Son of Saul" the point of view is the context."Son of Saul" received the 2016 Foreign Language Oscar and the Grand Prix (Grand Prize) of the Jury at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.Director Lészló Nemes, in his feature film directorial debut, cowrote the screenplay with Clara Royer.Despite it being a work of fiction, "Son of Saul" has the earmarks of a documentary: footage sometimes out of focus, extreme close-ups and seemingly haphazard cinematography, predominantly hand-held camera work, aspect ratio (1.375:1) similar to that of the pre-digital movies era of 16 mm film and home movies, few embellishments of music or visual effects, and a storyline that unfolds in real time, albeit somewhat compressed, over the course of approximately two days.We are given little information about the main character, or the secondary characters, nor the setting of the film. We already know the bigger picture, or should. We know the context. It's the Holocaust. "Son of Saul" gives us the stomach-churning details.In "Son of Saul," Saul Ausländer (Géza Röhrig) is a Hungarian Jew in the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944 during World War II. Officially, he is one of the Sonderkommando.In one of the most reprehensible techniques employed by the Nazis, Sonderkommandos were death-camp prisoners, mainly Jews, forced by threat of death, to dispose of gas chamber victims.While a group of Auschwitz prisoners is plotting a rebellion, Ausländer is preoccupied with finding a rabbi to say Kaddish for a proper burial in the ground for the body of a boy (presumably his son, but of this we are not certain). The film unfolds through Ausländer's efforts, the plotting of the prisoners and the frenzied extermination of the victims. The irony of having a proper burial amid the defilement of the dead is not lost.We mainly see the back of Ausländer's head, neck and shoulders, the side of his face and a three-quarter view of his face. Röhrig, with his piercing eyes, fervent countenance and brusque body language, becomes our constant companion through this Hieronymus Bosch (Dutch painter, 1450-1516) nightmarish tour of hell on earth. Röhrig is flawless in his depiction of a man trying to gain redemption through the solace of a sacred act in the midst of consummate evil.There are several riveting supporting performances: that of the prison doctor, Miklós (Séndor Zsótér), and other Sonderkommando members, Abraham (Levente Molnér), Oberkapo Biedermann (Urs Rechn), Yankl (Attila Fritz), the Renegade-Apikoyres (Mérton Ágh) and Braun (Todd Charmont), and a female prison worker, Ella (Juli Jakab).The depiction of the gas chamber, the crematorium, the sorting of clothing, jewelry and belongings, the shoveling of ashes, mass graves and so forth is shown in sickening detail. The prisoners' and the Nazis' uniforms, the vehicles, weapons and other aspects seem accurate down to the gold stars on the prisoners' shirts and jackets. All is rendered in tones of brown and gray, with some forest greenery at times, by cinematographer Métyés Erdély and production designer Lészló Rajk.The film is in Hungarian, Yiddish, German, Russian, Polish, French, Greek and Slovak with English subtitles."Son of Saul" is "Cod Liver Oil Cinema." It's unpleasant, but good for you. See it if you can."Son of Saul,"MPAA rated R (Restricted. Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian.) for disturbing violent content, and some graphic nudity; Genre Drama; Run time: 1 hr., 47 min.; Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics.Credit Readers Anonymous:"Son of Saul" was partly financed by The Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, claimscon.org/Inc.Box Office,March 11: "Zootopia" continued at No. 1 for two weeks in a row, with a still-strong $50 million, $142.6 million, two weeks, keeping the opening address of "10 Cloverfield Lane" at No. 2, with $25.2 million, and dropping "Deadpool" to No. 3 with $10.8 million, $328 million, five weeks;4. "London Has Fallen," $10.6 million, $38.8 million, two weeks; 5. "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot," $4.6 million, $14.5 million, two weeks; 6. "The Perfect Match," $4.1 million, opening; 7. "The Young Messiah," $3.4 million, opening; 8. "The Brothers Grimsby," $3.1 million, opening; 9. "Gods of Egypt," $2.5 million, $27.3 million, three weeks; 10. "Risen," $2.3 million, $32.3 million, four weeks.Unreel,March 18:"The Divergent Series: Allegiant,"PG-13: Robert Schwentke directs Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, Theo James and Miles Teller in the third installment of the science-fiction film franchise."Miracles from Heaven,"PG: Patricia Riggen directs Jennifer Garner, Brighton Sharbino, Martin Henderson and John Carroll Lynch in the drama about a girl whose illness is cured after a terrible accident. It's based on the book by Christy Beam."The Bounce Back,"PG-13: Youssef Delara directs Kali Hawk, Nadine Velazquez, Shemar Moore and Michael Beach in the romantic-comedy about a relationship expert whose book tour takes a turn for a talk-show therapist."Midnight Special,"PG-13: Jeff Nichols directs Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst, Joel Edgerton and Michael Shannon in the science-fiction film about a father and his son, who has special powers."The Little Prince,"PG: Mark Osborne directs the voice talents of Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd and Marion Cotillard in the animated film about a little girl and her neighbor, the aviator, who takes her to the world of the Little Prince. It's based on the 1943 novella by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Note: Paramount Pictures is no longer distributing the movie in the United States. A release date this year is to be announced.Four out of five popcorn boxes.