Benediction

Ignore the naysayers. This is a beautiful, deeply sad, elegant, and poetic film from one of the greatest filmmakers working today, Terence Davies. Many here are dismissing this film as "catty", "stereotypical", etc. It's not in the least. It's a film based on the life of Siegfried Sassoon, a real UK poet who served in WW1 with Wilfred Owen, the brilliant soldier who wrote the poetry that was the basis for Benjamin Britten's magnificent War Requiem and who was a friend/lover of Sassoon. Sasson was a poet himself, an artist, and like all artists, felt alienated throughout his life from the world he lived in. We see that art world from behind the curtain, and anyone who has ever worked, or been privvy to, the behind the scenes of the artistic world will attest this is how it is. This is the huge source of Sassoon's "alienation", not just that he's a homosexual, which many reviewers are insisting. There's a wonderful line that sums him up perfectly, and that is "most people live in the moment. You want to live in eternity". That's a beautiful, poetic summation not only of Sassoon's life, but of art in general. Davies's films often draw on art for their inspiration, and this one is no exception.

All of the performances are 1st rate, the cinematography is exquisite, the production design is breath taking, and the dialogue is some of the best I've heard in a film in a very, very long time. Thanks to Mr. Terence Davies for making such an extraordinary movie.

My initial reaction was, "unfocused and messy," but someone else called it a collage, and I think that is a more accurate description of the film.

It's not a biography, it's not really about war, or love, or living a closeted life during a specific period in UK history; it's not about aging; it's not about poetry, or trauma. The title suggests it might be about guidance, blessing, or redemption, but in regard to what, I can't really say.

It's also about all of those things, depending on the minute. The movie changes focus quite a few times, and I found that incredibly frustrating. After two and a half hours, I did not leave with any firmed-up impression of Sassoon, or the basic intention of the film.

Having said that, the lead actor and the rest are all perfectly enjoyable to watch, the dialogue is organic, and aside from spliced-in war footage, it is pleasing to the eye. It's a good choice for watching on demand or otherwise at home. But it's not a movie that lingers.

A slow, stately biopic about poet Siegried Sassoon and the demons that plagued him after serving in WWI.

The movie has serious Evelyn Waugh vibes, especially "Brideshead Revisited." WWI stories always fascinate me, especially when they're about how much the war screwed up the psyches of the people who were caught up in it. This film is overall satisfying, if a bit repetitive. A huge amount of time is spent on Sassoon, a more or less openly gay man, and his various love affairs, all with caricatures of flamboyant, bitchy gay men and all of them leaving you wondering what he wanted to be around them for in the first place. Seriously, were all gay men this hateful in the 1920s? But then you think about how marginalized they were, and the answer is, well, yeah, maybe they were. They had a lot to be hateful about.

The one reason to see this movie is a big one, and that's the central performance of Jack Lowden. He's magnificent in this. Easily award worthy, though a group like the Academy Awards wouldn't recognize him in a million years.

Grade: A-

IN A NUTSHELL: This melodramatic story is about legendary 20th Century war poet Siegfried Sassoon's life-long quest for personal salvation through his experiences with family, war, his writing, and destructive relationships go unresolved, never realizing it can only come from within. Hopefully, viewers will see the story as a cautionary tale and learn from his mistakes about life.

This beautifully introspective film was written and directed by Terence Davies.

THINGS I LIKED: I loved hearing the sensitive poetry of Siegfried Sassoon while watching his life experience unfold which inspired his writing. If you're unfamiliar with the poet, you'll certainly receive an introduction through this movie. There is an incredible sadness and melancholy to the movie.

The talented cast includes Tom Blyth, Kate Phillips, Jack Lowden, Jeremy Irvine, Ben Daniels Julian Sands, and Peter Capaldi among many others whose acting is fantastic.

I thought it was very interesting to combine old footage from World War I with the new footage of the film. It almost feels like a dramatic documentary.

Filming was done in Willenhall near Wolverhampton, England.

In the movie, we learn interesting trivia about the poet's life. For example, we learn that T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) was a fan of Siegfried Sassoon and even attended his wedding.

Lovely musical score.

The dialogue is entertaining, insightful, and inspiring.

Some of the transitions in Act 3 are fantastic. Others in Acts 1 & 2 cut too abruptly.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Sadly, the audience for this film may be somewhat limited, as it is very British, bloated, and eloquent with elevated dialogue.

The film starts with its focus on the war and military actions, and then the tone turns more into a gay romance. Because of the flip-flopping, the tone seems to constantly change.

There are several unnecessary scenes I would immediately cut to shorten the film. For example, there are some church and singing scenes that don't particularly add much.

The timeline jumps around a bit, which might confuse viewers.

It's sad to hear people talk so cruelly to each other.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Children and some adults will be extremely bored.

There is a lot of disturbing and real WWI footage and photography that shows dead bodies.

Lots of talk about homosexuality, as the poet Siegfried Sassoon was gay. You see men kiss, dance, and tumble in bed.

Psychiatric patients are heard and seen screaming.

THEMES: Truth Loyalty Personal honor War Yearning for what's been lost PTSD Writing and poetry Redemption Narcissism Talent Introspection Relationships Marriage and infidelity

Brownie points to Netflix for sponsoring this movie, which must have only limited appeal even to older gay viewers. Jack Lowden stars as World War One poet Siegfried Sassoon (Jack Lowden), whose emotional and sexual life director Terence Davies explores in this gloomy biopic. After publishing a letter condemning the military chiefs for the appalling death toll the conflict has brought, Sassoon is lucky not to be shot as a traitor; they send him to a mental institution where he meets and falls in love with fellow poet Wilfred Owen who's suffering from shell-shock (as PTSD was called in those dark days). Owen is sent back to die in Picardy in the last week of the war. The screenplay skates past Sassoon's brief return to active service.

After the war Siegfried has a brief affair with Ivor Novello (Jeremy Irvine), shown here as the uber-bitch in London's far-from-discreet gay set. Siegfried has a longer but equally unhappy affair with upper-crust socialite Stephen Tennant (Calam Lynch), the model for Sebastian Flyte in Evelyn Waugh's BRIDESHEAD REVISITED. Unhappy with homosexual life and converting to Catholicism, Sassoon marries. Flash-forward to his later life shows Sassoon (now played by Peter Capaldi) at odds with his wife and their son.

Throughout the movie Davies inserts horrific glimpses of battle casualties which never cease to haunt Sassoon. His poems are voice-overed from time to time, although two poems of Owen's make it clear that Sassoon was somewhat Second Division in comparison.

This is a beautifully shot movie, and all the cast perfectly evoke the look and feel of the 1920s and 30s, but the scriptwriter's prevailing tone is depressing. Male lovers and a wife all fail to bring happiness to Siegfried Sassoon. A life unfulfilled; a glum movie.