ONE LIFE

Review: Follows the life of humanitarian Nicholas Winton, who helped save hundreds of children escape Czechoslovakia on the eve of World War II.
Director: James Hawes
Actors: Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter, Jonathan Pryce, Romola Garai, Lena Olin, Johnny Flynn, Adrian Rawlins, Samantha Spiro, Marthe Keller, Alex Sharp, Ziggy Heath, Tom Glenister, Julia Westcott-Hutton, Ffion Jolly, Alara-Star Khan, Tim Steed, Stuart Whelan and Michael Gould
Year: 2023
Genre: Biography, Drama and History
Conclusion: 4/5
I just want to start of by saying that the title refers to the quotation “He who saves one life, saves the world entire.” This was quoted in the film Schindler’s List (1993). I was greatly moved by the whole film all the way through, but it was the last scene that really finished me off. A truly inspirational movie. I think this is a very brave film to get right but director James Hawes does an outstanding job. The whole of the cast were superbly chosen. Fantastic performance from Johnny Flynn who gives a really convincing portrayal of the young Nicholas Winton. It is really Anthony Hopkins who gives the most moving performance, in his usual understated style. I could list all the actors but each and every one of them was brilliant. I personally think that come awards time Anthony Hopkins should be nominated for Best Actor while Johnny Flynn for the Best Supporting Actor award. Romola Garai is also one of my favourite actors and she makes a strong impression even though she does not get a lot of screen time. Helena Bonham Carter gives strong support as Nicholas Winton’s mother. This film reunites Adrian Rawlins and Alex Sharp from ‘Living’ (2022). This film also reunites Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce after The Two Popes (2019). I thought the screenplay was really well written, especially all of Anthony Hopkins’ lines, where there was some slight humour. I thought that the editing was very good. The whole film kept on moving and no scene went on for too long. The score by German composer Volker Bertelmann (All Quiet on the Western Front, 2023) played an important part in the emotional power of the film. At the beginning I was slightly worried about how they were going to film the scenes with the young and old Nicholas Winton but I thought it worked very well and I didn’t need to worry. Iain Canning and Emile Sherman, See-Saw Films, said in a statement at the London Film Festival 2023 “We are also delighted that this will be our fourth American Express Gala after The King’s Speech (2010), Lion (2016), and The Power of the Dog (2021)”. This film tells a story which definitely needs to be told. Film critic Peter Bradshaw wrote “You’d need a heart of stone not to be touched by this extraordinary true story.”