A True Story of Love and War

Read Time:2 Minute, 42 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Benediction
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Genre: Biography, Drama, War
Year Released: 2022
Runtime: 2h 17m
Director(s): Terence Davies
Writer(s): Terence Davies
Cast: Jack Lowden, Peter Capaldi, Simon Russell Beale, Jeremy Irvine, Calem Lynch, Tom Blyth, Kate Phillips, Geraldine James, Anton Lesser, Suzanne Bertish, Matthew Tennyson, Julian Sands
Where To Watch: In select theaters, 6/3

A film that is as much of a visual treat as it is a verbal on, that’s a rare achievement, at least in my experience. There are a lot of films that are beautifully shot and a lot that leave you captivated with every line of dialogue; somehow, this accomplishes both without you even realizing it. Jack Lowden, who plays young Siegfried Sassoon in the film, probably says it best; “I thought then, and I still think now, it’s one of the best-written scripts I’ve ever read. Everything about it was worked out to a ‘T.’ It was like reading a novella. I’d never worked with a director on a script like that.” That is high praise for an actor who has worked in films such as DUNKIRK and MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS.

While traditionally, I’m lukewarm on the films of Terence Davies (DISTANT VOICES, STILL LIVES), just a personal bias, this one blew me away. The acting was so sincere that you would get lost in scenes; watching the film, you almost became part of it. Davies has been working since 1983 (feature-length films), and this is only his 10th, which shows the particular aspect of his creative mind. While some directors make as many films as possible, a true auteur will select their projects more meaningfully.

I’ve learned more history watching films (including documentaries) than I ever did in history class. There’s something different about seeing a character telling you the tales of someone's life on screen. They can share a deeper level of importance than I could ever get by reading lines out of a textbook. Lowden immersed himself entirely in Sassoon’s life, reading his diaries and more to understand the character.

Accompanying Lowden in the journey of this story was Peter Capaldi (DOCTOR WHO, PADDINGTON, and more), who played the role of older Siegfried Sassoon. Unfortunately, an actor like Capaldi has such a history in cinema that I had difficulty separating the actor from the character, although he still did a remarkable job. Still, the entire time, I saw him instead of Sassoon.

Like many productions, this one was halted before it could barely get off the ground because of COVID restrictions. However, it says something about the cast and crew's dedication that they were able to get going as quickly as they did and end up putting out such a remarkable film.

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