Movie Review: Darkest Hour

Finally, a great movie for 2017! It took all year but here it is. Gary Oldman stars as Winston Churchill, who becomes prime minister of the United Kingdom at a pivotal point in World War II. The country is losing its allies as Europe falls to Hitler, but it also faces the loss of 300,000 soldiers at Dunkirk. Churchill must decide what to do and how to do it within the first days of taking office. It’s a monumental task and his appeal to the U.S. president, Franklin Roosevelt, falls on deaf ears. No one can come to his rescue; he must decide for himself what the course of action will be.
I was thoroughly convinced that Gary Oldman was Winston Churchill. Not only did he look like him but he also spoke like him. Churchill was brash but a seasoned politician who understood the impact of his position and the decisions he was to make. Once he was assured that he had the support of King George VI, he carried his country through its darkest hour.
In addition to Mr. Oldman, the acting was outstanding. I was particularly fond of Lily James’ performance as Elizabeth Layton as Churchill’s secretary and Ben Mendelsohn as King George VI.
The movie qualifies for 2017 because of its limited release in December. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see it until January, but it was worth waiting for. I’d give this one six stars on a rating scale of five, as it truly rates as one of the outstanding movies of the year.