Darkest Hour, the Oscar-winning British war drama, airs tonight on BBC One at 8pm. Fans have labelled the film 'a very rare film in this day and age', with viewers declaring it's a 'masterpiece from start to finish'.
Plot and historical setting
Directed by Joe Wright with a screenplay by Anthony McCarten, the 2017 British war drama chronicles the life of Winston Churchill, focusing on his time as Prime Minister of the UK during the Second World War and the May 1940 war cabinet crisis.
The title refers to the early days of the war when the British army was trapped at Dunkirk, France was beginning to fall, and the odds were seemingly stacked against Britain and the Allied Forces. Churchill himself had dubbed the period the 'Darkest Hour' in public statements, and the film is based on these true events.
Cast and critical acclaim
The film stars Gary Oldman in the role of Winston Churchill, a performance that earned him the Best Actor Oscar. The cast also includes Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Stephen Dillane, Ronald Pickup, and Ben Mendelsohn.
Darkest Hour grossed $150 million worldwide against a production budget of $30 million. It received six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and won two: Best Actor for Oldman and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
Audience and critic reactions
One critic wrote: "It's dramatically engaging and powerful in its own right, but it is Oldman's outstanding performance that really pushes it over the top." Another said: "In lesser hands, Darkest Hour may've remained a fine historical biopic with another fine portrayal of Churchill, however, we're elevated out of that mediocrity and into a visual delight anchored by an award-worthy performance."
One viewer said: "Gary Oldman is awesome; unbelievable performance as Churchill. The rest of the cast did a splendid job as well. The plot was also well tailored to both the historical reality and the need to make the story work. Superb in every respect." Another fan wrote on Rotten Tomatoes: "The greatest portrayal of Sir Winston Churchill to date. Gary Oldman, as always, gets consumed completely by his character. Beautifully shot, wonderfully paced."
Darkest Hour will be broadcast on BBC One tonight at 8pm and is also available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
