Although Mick Jackson's Denial (2016) was a critical success, it was a massive box office bomb. It took only $8 million against a budget of $10 million dollars. Typically, films must make two to three times their budget in order to make a profit (factoring in things like marketing costs as well as what it cost to make). Thus, Denial lost anywhere between 12 and 22 million dollars. It was, however, nominated for the BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) for Outstanding British Film of the Year. The Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus of the film reads the following, indicating that critics enjoyed the film: "If Denial doesn't quite do its incredible story complete justice, it comes close enough to offer a satisfying, impactful drama -- and another powerful performance from Rachel Weisz."
Still, because of its subject matter, Denial is an incredibly important film. It tells the true story of faux historian David Irving's (played tremendously by Timothy Spall) trial against Deborah Lipstadt (played wonderfully by Rachel Weisz). Irving claims that Lipstadt's labelling of him as a Holocaust denier constitutes libel and slander. Lipstadt disagrees and after much deliberation chooses to take him to court and prove that he is, in fact, a fake historian and a Holocaust denier. The film shows the legal process Lipstadt and her team go through, the effect the trial has on her personal life, and how insidious Irving's claims truly are.
Above all, Denial is an important film because it introduces people to the evil of Holocaust denial. In some cases, it will even likely introduce people to the Holocaust. According to NPR, a staggering 22% of millennials have no idea about the Holocaust. Perhaps even worse, 41% of Americans and 66% of millennials do not know what the Auschwitz death camp was. That's why Denial is an increasingly important film. What's sad is very few saw the film and even fewer will see the film in the future.
