Before I start the review for Darkest Hour, we should get one thing out of the way. Gary Oldman (Sid and Nancy, The Dark Knight Rises) will win this year’s Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Whoever the other four nominees can skip the ceremony. Buried in thick coats of makeup and padding that make him unrecognizable, Oldman (who was only six years younger in real life than the many he was portraying on screen was at the time of this movie but who takes better care of himself physically than the man he is portraying) pulls off one of the most remarkable actor character transformations in recent memory in his portrayal of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. His performance will be compared to Colin Firth’s portrayal of King George VI (who ironically was a character in this movie) in 2010 The King’s Speech, a role in which he earned numerous awards, including the coveted Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Oscar.

When an actor’s performance is so much greater than his peers in a given year, I often compare that role against previous years’ roles. If Darkest Hour came out last year, Oldman would have beat Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea), and had it come out in 2015, Oldman would have given Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant) a run for his money. Ultimately, though, this is a movie review site and not an acting review site. Darkest Hour is a good movie but doesn’t rival The King’s Speech, Manchester by the Sea, or The Revenant in terms of entertainment and lasting impact. But in terms of the importance of telling its story and doing so in a way that keeps the audience interested and educated, Darkest Hour tops the other three.

Joe Wright’s (Anna Karenina, Atonement) Darkest Hour tells the story of Winston Churchill for 17 days after he was voted the Prime Minister of England during the early stages of World War II immediately after current Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (Ronald Pickup – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Mission) is removed by the British Parliament by a vote of no confidence. Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax (Stephen Dillane – The Hours, King Arthur) is the favorite but removes himself from consideration. It is known that they will accept only one other person: Winston Churchill. We meet Oldman’s Churchill at the same time as Elizabeth Layton (Lily James – Baby Driver, Burnt).

Elizabeth is  Winston’s new secretary and reports to his chambers for her first work day. She is briefed (like we are) about what he likes and can’t tolerate. In addition to being a very particular man, he is foreboding by those who do not know him. Fortunately, mainly through his wife Clementine (Kristin Scott Thomas – I’ve Loved You So Long, Leaving), we see his nurturing side and even that he could appreciate a good joke from time to time. However, May 1940 wasn’t a time for shits and giggles. It was the most tumultuous time in the history of the world to date. And this is something that is never forgotten.

Hitler’s Germany has already invaded Holland, and Belgium is closing in on France. With the lukewarm support of King George VI (Ben Mendelsohn – Black Sea, Mississippi Grind), Churchill addresses the Parliament for the first time, saying that he and his coalition intend to ensure victory at all costs. Some supported England’s participation in the war, but many others would instead engage in peace talks between England and Germany, with Italy as the mediator. This should be an easy decision if it can save lives and help England remain independent. If Churchill is unwilling to do it, the Parliament should try for another vote of no confidence to remove him from office.

In addition to the decision he must make to either participate in the peace talks or wage war, Churchill also learns of the 300,000 British troops stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk. Knowing that he will probably lose these three soldiers regardless of his decision, Churchill is forced to decide whether to send another 4000 to attempt a rescue that most would consider a suicide mission. But what choice does Churchill have? We hear a phone conversation between him and President Franklin Roosevelt of the United States. He requests 50 destroyers for help, only to be rejected by the President, who says the neutrality act prohibits it. So Churchill’s Plan B, known as Operation Dynamo, is to send as many boats as possible to Dunkirk to aid the evacuation. Ironically, this is the plot for Dunkirk, also a 2017 movie that will vie with Darkest Hour for Oscar consideration in many of the same categories.

Fight or surrender via peace talks and hope the best from Hitler-led Nazi Germany? It was an easy decision in 1944 but a more difficult one in 1940. Fortunately for England and the rest of the world, it had the right man making the decisions. Nevertheless, each day brought new turmoil to England, its people, and its leader. Publically, he was unwavering. But, behind the scenes, he was filled with more doubt. Even more problematic for Churchill was when he had to lie to the public to either buy more time or not have them think a situation was as severe as it was. And we can see the heavy tolls from each decision he makes.

Oldman nails Churchill, so much so that we forget that it’s even Oldman in that fat suit and drenched in layers of makeup. Dangling a cigar between his lips becomes as much a part of his persona as his limp, incessant coughing, spluttering, and all-around moodiness. It doesn’t matter who the other four nominees for Best Actor will be. This is Oldman’s award. Darkest Hour will likely get nominations in cinematography, costume design, makeup and hairstyling, original score, and production design. It also could be a Best Picture nominee.

Darkest Hour could have felt like a two-hour History Channel lesson with a much larger budget. It goes far deeper in its character development and overall analysis. We see the human side of Churchill, his impact on each of his decisions, and the people he was representing. It was a beautifully directed biopic that could have felt less memorable. I will remember it for more than Oldman’s performance alone.

Plot 9/10
Character Development 8/10
Character Chemistry 8/10
Acting 10/10
Screenplay 8/10
Directing 9/10
Cinematography 10/10
Sound 9/10
Hook and Reel 8.5/10
Universal Relevance 9.5/10
88%

B

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• The Iron Lady
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