The Film Reports

2.5 stars

Drama, Romance, War

I have to admit, I don’t think I would have watched this if it hadn’t been for a quote from the novel it’s based on. The quote is as follows, in case you were wondering, “They felt a strange happiness, an urgent need to reveal their hearts to each other – the urgency of lovers, which is already a gift, the very first one, the gift of the soul before the body surrenders. ‘Know me, look at me. This is who I am. This is how I have lived, this is what I have loved. And you? What about you, my darling?”.

Unfortunately, the film doesn’t do the book justice (not that I’ve read it). There’s something so bland about this film that I can’t quite put it into words. And I’m not entirely sure what it is tbh. Michelle Williams is captivating, as is Kristen Scott Thomas. There are little bits of interest throughout the film, and the last half an hour is pretty tense but it didn’t hold my interest, at all.

The plot involves Williams’ character, Lucille, falling in love with a Nazi officer (Matthias). That’s really where the problems start. Despite being a literal Nazi, Lucille manages to fall in love with him. That’s a narrative choice, sure, but it doesn’t develop into anything resembling reality. Despite other people calling her out (including a surprise Margot Robbie) for living a fantasy, Lucille ignores everything. The film doesn’t show her point-of-view for being able to have a sneaky relationship with a man who has killed innocent people, or his for falling for a woman who he might’ve happily killed if it hadn’t been for certain specific circumstances.

I do also have an issue with the way their romance started, there was no build up which is obviously necessary, doubly so when you’re trying to convince an audience that one half of the couple is in fact capable and deserving of love.

I’m trying really hard to be balanced as a film reviewer. However, my final verdict for this film is that in the 21st century, we have no space for romanticising Nazis. Yes, it’s based on a book by a Jewish woman but I don’t know what she was thinking, or if the book expands more on the thought process of the central characters.

Also, it’s a pretty boring film so there’s that.

Watch it: don’t, there’s far better WW2 films.