I didn't read the 2003 book The Kaiser's Last Kiss, on which the movie is based. So, I am simply reviewing the movie without critiquing its loyalty to the book.
Let me just say, the movie wasn't exceptional in either the good or the bad way. It was middle of the road. You could tell it was a quick stop for both Jai Courtney and Lily James in their careers, before they make it onto the A-List via another movie.
In a nutshell the movie checks some big ticket items. Good looking, young, promising main cast. Strong supporting actors with long resumes (I am looking at you Christopher Plummer). A plot taking place around a major historical event. And romance. What more could you want? Well
The main problem I had with this movie, and which is the building block of the whole plot, is their love affair. It starts out so promptly, that I thought I may have missed something. As it turns out, I don't think I missed anything, Lily James' character simply shows up one night at Jai Courtney's door and the rest is history from there. It still doesn't make sense to me, but I gave up and gave in and just went with it. In turn, I was able to enjoy their love story.
Historically speaking, if you are looking for a World War II movie, this isn't your movie. Yes, everyone is there surrounding a real life historical person during a real life historical event, but that is about it. It is actually Kaiser Wilhelm II, who is the exception in this fictional romance tale. Overall, there isn't too much on the action front in this movie and is accurately described as a "romance, war drama" (Wikipedia).
One last thing on the historical front, I do think the movie tried to confront the hard truth of German soldiers during World War II. Just because you belonged to the military, did everyone agree with the overall mission of the Reich? After all, Jai Courtney's German soldier falls in love with a Jewish woman. Maybe love is the exception, but maybe it isn't after all. Who really knows? Instead of the movie taking an in depth look into the mind of a German soldier, it takes the route of romance, which I was completely alright with.
As for the acting, I thought they did a good job. While Jai Courtney isn't a stranger to lists ranking poor acting skills, he wasn't horrible. I actually had never heard of him before this movie (clearly I was living under a rock during the Suicide Squad frenzy) and was surprised to find him on such lists. Sure, "wasn't horrible" isn't saying much, but he is getting by on more than just his good looks in this movie. I thought Lily James did an exceptional job portraying her complicated character with the tools she was given. Quite frankly, I thought the two of them were a nice pairing. She brought the compassion to his cold demeanor.
There are highs and there are lows. You do end up rooting for the couple, who manage to stay alive due to luck and a questionable plot. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and actually liked the ending. I won't spoil it, but it seemed appropriate.
At 6.7 stars I expected a bit more, but tend to agree that it is a fair rating. If just looking over the summary of the movie, you would think it could have the potential to be an Academy Award nominee. However, the movie just never gets that deep. It doesn't keep you at the edge of your seat, but it lets you escape into a world where possibly the only exception is love.
Let me just say, the movie wasn't exceptional in either the good or the bad way. It was middle of the road. You could tell it was a quick stop for both Jai Courtney and Lily James in their careers, before they make it onto the A-List via another movie.
In a nutshell the movie checks some big ticket items. Good looking, young, promising main cast. Strong supporting actors with long resumes (I am looking at you Christopher Plummer). A plot taking place around a major historical event. And romance. What more could you want? Well
The main problem I had with this movie, and which is the building block of the whole plot, is their love affair. It starts out so promptly, that I thought I may have missed something. As it turns out, I don't think I missed anything, Lily James' character simply shows up one night at Jai Courtney's door and the rest is history from there. It still doesn't make sense to me, but I gave up and gave in and just went with it. In turn, I was able to enjoy their love story.
Historically speaking, if you are looking for a World War II movie, this isn't your movie. Yes, everyone is there surrounding a real life historical person during a real life historical event, but that is about it. It is actually Kaiser Wilhelm II, who is the exception in this fictional romance tale. Overall, there isn't too much on the action front in this movie and is accurately described as a "romance, war drama" (Wikipedia).
One last thing on the historical front, I do think the movie tried to confront the hard truth of German soldiers during World War II. Just because you belonged to the military, did everyone agree with the overall mission of the Reich? After all, Jai Courtney's German soldier falls in love with a Jewish woman. Maybe love is the exception, but maybe it isn't after all. Who really knows? Instead of the movie taking an in depth look into the mind of a German soldier, it takes the route of romance, which I was completely alright with.
As for the acting, I thought they did a good job. While Jai Courtney isn't a stranger to lists ranking poor acting skills, he wasn't horrible. I actually had never heard of him before this movie (clearly I was living under a rock during the Suicide Squad frenzy) and was surprised to find him on such lists. Sure, "wasn't horrible" isn't saying much, but he is getting by on more than just his good looks in this movie. I thought Lily James did an exceptional job portraying her complicated character with the tools she was given. Quite frankly, I thought the two of them were a nice pairing. She brought the compassion to his cold demeanor.
There are highs and there are lows. You do end up rooting for the couple, who manage to stay alive due to luck and a questionable plot. Overall, I enjoyed the movie and actually liked the ending. I won't spoil it, but it seemed appropriate.
At 6.7 stars I expected a bit more, but tend to agree that it is a fair rating. If just looking over the summary of the movie, you would think it could have the potential to be an Academy Award nominee. However, the movie just never gets that deep. It doesn't keep you at the edge of your seat, but it lets you escape into a world where possibly the only exception is love.