Churchill

In June 1944, the Second World War is approaching its climax and Winston Churchill (Brian Cox), who drove the British to oppose Hitler's blitzkrieg, is tired of the war and the bloodshed. Nevertheless, Churchill is faced with a decision of immeasurable importance, namely whether or not the Allied forces should invade the parts of Europe occupied by the Nazis and their allies. If Operation D-Day fails, he fears, he will be the one singled out for blame. Churchill's wife Clementine (Miranda Richardson) stands by her husband with advice and support during this difficult phase, but the long years of war have shattered their relationship. As a result, not only the fate of the world but also the Churchills' marriage is at a turning point... “In the movie, it is now Brian Cox who transforms himself convincingly and worth seeing into Winston Churchill with the help of make-up and props such as a hat, cane and cigar. As is usual these days, “Churchill” also focuses on just a small section of its protagonist's biography. A very small one, to be precise, as the film is set exclusively in the days and hours leading up to D-Day, the Allied landings in Normandy in June 1944 [...]. Teplitzky and his screenwriter Alex von Tunzelmann see no need to charge their story with a second layer of interpretation or references to today's political circumstances. “Churchill” is not a commentary on Brexit or populists such as Trump or Le Pen, but merely pays tribute to an outstanding example of those leaders who hardly seem to exist today.” (Patrick Heidmann, at: epd-film.de)