There was a lot of hype around this film... but that’s never stopped me waiting months or even years to watch something. I always find accounts like this interesting. A window into past events that otherwise we wouldn’t see. That said, although this is wonderfully acted, masterfully visualised, is it a touch over stylised, much in the way that the BBC would handle any period drama. There are undeniable moments of cinematic power, but I’m sure it over simplifies things. Much has been made of the train scene for one and yes it’s a bit sappy, needless and completely out of step with the rest of the film. There’s a great deal of humour and even whimsy, a story of the stuffiness of politics and the strategy of, rather than the war itself and overall it’s style is it’s own undoing. Although Oldman predictably is the centrepiece, it’s Kristen Scott Thomas that excels for me, she’s fantastic and even Stephen Dillane as the villain of the piece Halifax is exceptional (he’s great in The Tunnel TV series too), but it does all feel like a 90 plus minute build up to that speech and although it is rousing when it arrives, it’s too little too late... for the film, thankfully not for actual events.
6/10
