Darkest Hour Review
Did any of you catch the 2018 Golden Globe
nominations? If so, then you probably saw that Gary Oldman has been nominated
for his work in “Darkest Hour.” After finally seeing the movie myself, it is no
surprise whatsoever that has been nominated.
For me, that’s never a surprise when Gary Oldman
delivers an unbelievable performance. Because, remarkably enough, this feels
like something Oldman is always doing, and I can’t believe he never gets the
attention and discussion I feel like he deserves. He should be the male Meryl
Streep, though lots more likable. I think this because he seems to vanish in
his roles all the time. How can someone watch something like “The Fifth Element”
and NOT be totally taken aback when the realize the villain of that movie is Gary
Oldman. Or how about his work as Dracula? How is the guy who was in “The
Contender” also be the guy in “The Professional” and how is that guy the same
guy from “Air Force One” or “Lawless?” My favorite example is Oldman’s work as
Drexel in “True Romance.” A role wear Oldman plays a wigger pimp who is
viciously ruthless. There is a verbal showdown that escalates to violence
between Oldman’s Drexel and Christian Slater. I have seen the movie about a
dozen times now, and that one moment still makes me tense up. When I show that
movie to friends, they are stunned silent throughout the scene, then finish it
with a deep sigh of relief. All in part from Oldman’s talent.
Some actors only disappear into a role once, Oldman
made a career out of it. That’s why I totally buy his transformation into
Winston Churchill, during the early days World War II, when he was appointed as
Prime Minister. Oldman once again completely becomes Churchill, almost as if he
evaporated into the skin of the man himself. It looks like Oldman put on a
tremendous amount of weight, and I really can’t tell if he actually did or if
that is mere movie magic. He completely transformed the way he talks, the way
he moves, and he completely reinvented his mannerisms. This is what method
acting looks like, and when it’s at its absolute best.
Funny, because the movie is actually full of stellar
performances. Lilly James has had an absolutely great year of movies. “Baby
Driver” STILL makes me swoon. And now, she caps off the year with another
memorable performance. Here, she plays Elizabeth Nel, who was the personal
secretary to Churchill throughout the war. It plays out mostly like typical
Hollywood, but it never becomes weird or awkward or romantic. And James does
great enough work that their subplot counts. Ben Mendelson plays King George VI
who eventually appoints Churchill to his position, and he does a fine job here.
Kristin Scott Thomas plays Churchill’s wife and she’s as stalwart and stern as
he is, Thomas once again displays some raw talent here. Even old Stannis
Baratheon himself, Stephen Dillane appears as Lord Halifrax.
Joe Wright has a keen eye for detail here. As it feels
like every costume and piece of scenery is absolutely lived-in. Any time I am
watching a biography film and it feels like I just stepped off a time machine,
that’s a good sign in my book. I don’t like cheap looking sets and costumes, it
really is distracting to me. Either it all counts, or none of it does, so I
like the extra detail in these biographical films. The cinematography by Bruno
Delbonnel is that typical rough-edged, rugged look that appear in most World
War II movies, but its totally fitting here. The music by Dario Marianelli is
powerfully suiting.
The story of “Darkest Hour” is kind of familiar at
first glance. It feels like a movie we have seen before. It feels like an
alternate version of “The King’s Speech.” We’ve seen plenty of films where a
person of power has to prove themselves during a moment of extreme crisis, and
that’s essentially all “Darkest Hour” boils down to. The thing is that Oldman
is so unfathomably good here that he makes the good stuff stand out and the
mediocre stuff disappear. There have been plenty of movies that were good but
were elevated to great thanks to a particular performance, I think a modern
example of that is here, Gary Oldman with “Darkest Hour.”
Oh, and Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk” is a perfect companion
film to this. I can’t wait to have both in my possession and have a nice double
feature.
FINAL GRADE: A-
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