Darkest Hour

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The Movie in 3 Sentences

• Darkest Hour is a historical drama about Winston Churchill’s first weeks as British prime minister in May 1940, as Nazi Germany advanced rapidly across Europe and British forces became trapped at Dunkirk. With members of his own government urging him to negotiate with Hitler, Churchill must decide whether to pursue peace talks or continue fighting despite the enormous risks.
• The movie was frequently interrupted by A’s commentary correcting what he saw as an inaccurate portrayal of Churchill, since he is currently reading the nearly 3,000-page biography The Last Lion by William Manchester and Paul Reid. Gary Oldman looked and sounded remarkably convincing, and the makeup was flawless, but I felt the film emphasized Churchill’s eccentricities more than his intelligence and political judgment.
• The film’s attention to period detail was stunning. The costumes, sets, score, and supporting cast worked together beautifully to recreate the atmosphere of May 1940. Combined with Oldman’s performance, they make the film feel completely immersive.

My Top 3 Quotes

• You cannot reason with a tiger, when your head is in its mouth!
• Clementine: You are strong because you are imperfect. You are wise because you have doubts
• Would you stop interrupting me while I am interrupting you? (true story)