“The Debt” (113 min., R) by director John Madden is a stirring and gripping tale weighing some of the best questions man has asked himself in the latter 20th century. It is a story of love and passion, lies and deceit, longing and loss, cowardliness and heroism. Mr. Madden has become a master of  the use of imagery, scintilating musical compositions, and emotional contrasts to produce an almost surreal portrait painted against a melancholy landscape.

Set in 1966 in the fledgling nation of Israel, three young Mossad agents (Israel’s top secret paramilitary spy network) are sent deep undercover in East Berlin to retrieve a nefarious ex-nazi doctor. Known as the “Surgeon of Birkenau” and played poignantly by Jesper Christensten, Dieter Vogel is the epitome of evil, a cold and calculated man strongly befitting such a devious role. Of course the mission goes awry, and the three agents will have to piece together a case which will shape both the futures of a nation yearning for justice, retribution, and a sense of identity;  and ultimately the fate of their very own lives. The film is not without its flaws, but the ending will leave an indelible mark on its audiences who will assuredly ask the question which addresses the crux of the movie. By living a lie does one become one?