- Actors: Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson, John Slattery, James Purefoy, Julian Wadham
- Director: Jonathan Teplitzky
- Disc Format: AC-3, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
- Language: English
- Subtitles: English
- Region: Region A/1
- Number of discs: 1
- Rated: PG
- Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- Release Date: October 3, 2017
- Run Time: 105 minutes
Churchill is clearly a performance
piece, to the point that we get little in the narrative to focus on other than
the emotional bellowing of the title character played by Brian Cox. And Cox is
certainly up for the task, gaining weight to take on Winston Churchill’s
silhouette along with the adoption of his mannerisms and speech patterns. As
dedicated as Cox and the other cast members are to their roles, it is a shame
that the film ends up feeling like little more than a showcase for acting,
especially considering how easily the second Churchill biopic of the year (The Darkest Hour) is likely to
overshadow this one.
Covering the 96
hours leading up to the World War II invasion of Normandy, we never set foot on the
battlefield or see more than a few glimpses of actual soldiers in Churchill. Instead, the film remains
tied to those making the larger decisions, the ones who would affect thousands
of soldiers as a result. Haunted by the loss of soldiers he was responsible for
at Gallipoli during the First World War, Churchill is absolutely against the
operation to take back France
from the German occupiers. As he enters into verbal matches with American
commander Dwight Eisenhower (John Slattery), Churchill begins to realize that
his power of influence has diminished and that he serves as little more than a
figurehead for the war efforts.
This is the
central conflict of Churchill, rather
than any external battles going on at the time. The British Prime Minister has
reservations with Operation Overlord, but he appears far more disturbed by his
marginalized role in the war efforts and the blow to his ego. It is only
through the strong will of his wife (played by a scene-stealing Miranda
Richardson) that Churchill is able to accept his place in the war, encouraging
him to give his famous D-Day speech. There are rousing moments of patriotism
near the end of the film, even if we must endure childish and petty behavior
for much of the run-time.
The fact that Churchill is dialogue-heavy alone is not
a problem, but it becomes overbearing as the film goes on. At first these
scenes of dialogue merely highlight the good acting, but that begins to slip
into melodrama as the film continues. The one-note tone of the narrative loses
impact over time, because there are not enough downbeats and the emotions can’t
be raised without slipping into scenery chewing. As much as the film must focus
on its title role, our proximity to the iconic historical character is less
revealing than it is claustrophobic. Director Jonathan Teplitzky’s decision to
shoot much of the film in close up only enhances this feeling, so the anxiety
we feel comes from our proximity to a man full of similar dread.
The Blu-ray
release of Churchill does not have an alternative way of viewing the film,
though the disc itself comes with a 22-minute making-of featurette. There is
also a trailer.
Entertainment Value:
6/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 7/10
Historical
Significance: 5/10
Special Features: 4/10
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