Darkest Hour looks at Winston Churchill's appointment to the post of Prime Minister and his struggle to get the country, especially his political opponents, on board with waging war against Germany. Set in May of 1940, it acts as a perfect companion to Dunkirk, with a similar ticking clock motif and everything. Of course, Gary Oldman is perfect as the witty, emotional, trouble-making leader, but full props to director Joe Wright for making more than a biopic thanks to bold image-making. The picture looks and sounds great, and boldness is, indeed, what is thematically called for when your subject is Churchill. Though this is largely a political story, the world outside the House of Commons is adequately addressed, and one scene actually had me holding back tears. That was a surprise.
I'm of two minds about this one. This is, without a doubt, the greatest portrayal of Churchill there's ever been on film or TV. His emotionalism and crazy sentimentality, his aristocratic pretensions and surprising crudeness, his wit and brilliance and determination... all here. But as history, it's pretty weak, from the cartoonish villainy of Halifax to the climactic, bizarre, totally fictional scene where he
gets inspiration straight from the British people to carry on the fight, and they essentially write his "fight them on the beaches" speech for him.
Why make a historical drama at all if you're going to lie about the most crucial event in it? Oldman certainly deserves an Oscar for this, but the movie around him deserves only obscurity.
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Siskoid
Darkest Hour looks at Winston Churchill's appointment to the post of Prime Minister and his struggle to get the country, especially his political opponents, on board with waging war against Germany. Set in May of 1940, it acts as a perfect companion to Dunkirk, with a similar ticking clock motif and everything. Of course, Gary Oldman is perfect as the witty, emotional, trouble-making leader, but full props to director Joe Wright for making more than a biopic thanks to bold image-making. The picture looks and sounds great, and boldness is, indeed, what is thematically called for when your subject is Churchill. Though this is largely a political story, the world outside the House of Commons is adequately addressed, and one scene actually had me holding back tears. That was a surprise.chunkylefunga
If you actually know your history this film is only average. If you want the fairty tale version you might like this.Shazaaaam
I'm of two minds about this one. This is, without a doubt, the greatest portrayal of Churchill there's ever been on film or TV. His emotionalism and crazy sentimentality, his aristocratic pretensions and surprising crudeness, his wit and brilliance and determination... all here. But as history, it's pretty weak, from the cartoonish villainy of Halifax to the climactic, bizarre, totally fictional scene where he-1flb2-
This is not a DOCUMENTARY. It is very entertaining and Gary Oldman should receive an Oscar.der Zorn Gottes
"Hey, let's put some crap on his face and give him a funny hat, that ought to bring him an Oscar."- Lincoln (2012)
popfactor
I like that it featured the layman's explanation of Dunkirk, I really needed it, tbh.Earring72
Must see for one of the greatest performances in recent years. Oldman is TERRIFICdevilsadvocado
Two movies came out in 2017 that end with the same Winston Churchill quote and I accidentally just watched both of them back to back.