Darkest Hour

At the onset of World War II the fate of Western Europe would come down to the decisions and negotiations of the newly appointed Prime Minister, Winston Churchill (Gary Oldman), this is a recounting of the moments that would ultimately lead to the world standing up against Hitler. Directed by Joe Wright this political procedural offers up a fantastic and nuanced ensemble performance including the work of Lily James, Kristin Scott Thomas, and Ben Mendelsohn with Oldman as the Keystone. Further attention to detail comes from the cinematic eye of Bruno Delbonnel and editing styling of Valerio Bonelli to accurately capture the claustrophobic feel and thick air surrounding the events of the time. No doubt some liberties have been taken with the story for the sake of the big screen, still, Writer Anthony McCarten ties together the pivotal points succinctly, making for yet another glimpse into British history sitting with the company and likes of this year’s Dunkirk, and hearkens back to elements of The King’s Speech of 2010, pretty good company. Worth your while, Darkest Hour is rated PG-13.