During the opening prologue to "Taking Sides," the latest effort by director Istvan Szabo ("Sunshine"), a philharmonic orchestra is performing a Beethoven symphony in a magnificent Berlin hall as the sound of explosions from overhead fighter planes intrude upon, but fail to drown out, the concert. [...] though studiously crafted and boasting a pair of contained but commanding performances by Harvey Keitel and Stellan Skarsgard, the film, adapted by Ronald Harwood from his acclaimed play of the same name, is dramatically flat. Especially coming off the epic sweep of "Sunshine," there's a boxed-in staginess and overly measured pace that tend to hold any lasting emotional resonance at bay.

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