DARKEST HOUR
Article By John Pugh
Sources (YouTube, IMDB & Focus Features)
Gary Oldman is nearly unrecognizable in the first trailer for Joe Wright’s new biographical drama, DARKEST HOUR. Oldman has been acting since the early 80’s and, though he’s known to many as one of the greatest actors alive, it’s surprising he’s only been nominated for an Oscar just the once. In 2011, Oldman was nominated for TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, which he was extraordinary in, however, of his 90 acting credits on IMDB, there’s plenty of early work that deserved it first. In fact, it was Alex Cox‘s SID AND NANCY that put him on the map and why he never received an Oscar nom for that one, I’ll never know.
Director Joe Wright certainly brings an elegance, class, and scope to his films. So, I can understand why Wright’s filmography leans more towards period pieces and fantasy. Though I do love the beautiful visual storytelling and ambitious one shot scenes, I have to admit that I get bored with pretty much all of his films before they’re into the third act. Even with this first trailer for DARKEST HOUR, I fear this new endeavor at Winston Churchill‘s biography, will inevitably be the “been there, seen that, done that” scenario.
Don’t get me wrong. Oldman IS Winston Churchill in this first trailer. He looks and sounds great. He has a real chance at this upcoming Oscars, alongside another acting giant, Daniel Day-Lewis, who has just recently announced his retirement this year. Oldman is looking a little showy but not any more than Daniel Day-Lewis was in LINCOLN. There’s a great cast accompanying Oldman’s journey. The lovely Lily James (BABY DRIVER), another heavyweight Ben Mendelsohn (ROGUE ONE, MISSISSIPPI GRIND), and the wonderful Kristin Scott Thomas (MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, ONLY GOD FORGIVES) to name a few.
In conclusion, I’ll cautiously approach this film with optimism and hope that Wright knocks it out of the park. I would really love to see one of his films keep my interest all the way through. He’s a good director and Gary Oldman is still one of the greatest living actors. In the words of Churchill, I will chant with them for their success in saying, “We shall never surrender!”
RELEASED BY:
Focus Features
DIRECTED BY:
WRITTEN BY:
CAST:
Lily James, Gary Oldman, Ben Mendelsohn, Stephen Dillane, Kristin Scott Thomas
SYNOPSIS:
“As the unstoppable Nazi forces roll across Western Europe and the threat of invasion is imminent, and with an unprepared public, a skeptical King, and his own party plotting against him, Churchill must withstand his darkest hour, rally a nation, and attempt to change the course of world history.“
RELEASE DATE:
November 22nd 2017
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