Jeremy Irons as British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain dominates this historical drama that uses the story of a fictional friendship as an introduction to the controversial policy of appeasement toward Hitler (Ulrich Matthes) pursued by the U.K. and France in an effort to avert World War II.
Despite having been close pals during their student days at Oxford University, a young secretary to Chamberlain (George MacKay) and a German foreign ministry official (Jannis Niewöhner) have long been estranged after quarreling over the latter’s enthusiastic support of the Nazis. But the Brownshirts’ former fan has since cottoned on to the true nature of the regime and, with the strategy of giving in to the Fuehrer’s demands about to reach its high point at the 1938 summit conference in the city of the title, tries to renew ties so the duo can collaborate on opening the eyes of his ex-buddy’s boss.
Though occasionally a bit overwrought in tone and somewhat implausible in its plot developments, director Christian Schwochow’s polished adaptation of Robert Harris’ 2017 novel captures the moral as well as political dilemmas of the era and intelligently explores the issue of how well-meaning people can best oppose evil. The parents of older teens may see the film’s educational value as outweighing the unvarnished dialogue that regularly crops up in Ben Power’s script.
Watch out for: A scene of men urinating, a couple of profanities, about a dozen milder oaths, at least one rough term, considerable crude and crass language.
Rated: A-III — adults. MPAA: PG-13.
