Une vie

Anthony Hopkins excels in the lead role, showing he's still magnetic well into his 80s and he's ably supported by Johnny Flynn playing him as a younger man and it's good to see Lena Olin again on the screen, playing his wife.

It's a solid drama that will appeal to the same target audience that made The Great Escaper,Operation Mincemeat,Dirty Little Letters etc popular; the older generation- and there's nothing wrong with, at least their going to the movies!

I knew about the Kindertransport but not fully; this film dutifully tells the story and it has the same level of tension that Munich: The Edge of War had ,countries being invaded as a set up to tell humane stories.

The classic TV recreation on' This Life' was well done and moving.

Set against the backdrop of the rising Nazi threat in 1938, "One Life" tells the true story of Nicholas Winton, a young British stockbroker who embarks on a daring mission. Driven by a sense of humanity, Winton orchestrates the Kindertransport, rescuing hundreds of Jewish children from Czechoslovakia and bringing them to safety in Britain. The film weaves through time, showcasing the immediate impact of Winton's actions on the rescued children as well as the decades of silence that followed as Winton kept his heroic deeds under wraps. (Bard AI)

One Life is an amazing story that I certainly had never heard about before. It's disappointing that it is told in such a conventional style. The story of Nicholas Winton follows a somewhat predictable trajectory, with occasional tropes we have seen in many wartime dramas. Despite this, Anthony Hopkins, who plays the older Nicholas Winton, and Helena Bonham Carter, who plays Babette Winton, both put in moving, nuanced performances that bring Winton's story alive.

As we know from other wartime stories, the power of individual action in the face of incredible adversity is staggering. The fear and desperation of the child refugees is effectively portrayed, along with heartwarming moments of hope and resilience. In a story like this, the moral ambiguities, the deep resources of courage, and the profound weight of responsibility gave me plenty to think about even after the credits rolled.

There were several things that detracted from the quality of the film. Pacing was a bit of a problem. Some parts of the story felt rushed, and other parts could have done with some tighter editing. The cinematography, while providing an evocative backdrop for the story, never really had the emotional weight needed for this sort of story. Some scenes bordered on being excessively sentimental, which, at times, diminished the authenticity of the movie. Some supporting characters could have done with some deeper development and backstories, and there needed to be a more balanced presentation of the story's two timelines so we could better understand the young and older versions of Winton.

While One Life isn't groundbreaking, it is well made and is a valuable reminder and tribute to an extraordinary man of courage. The strengths outweigh the flaws, making it worthwhile to watch for all ages (except very young children because of the mature themes). And Winton's story makes us question whether heroism is more about big deeds or small acts of bravery. One day, each of us may be called on to be heroic, and One Life provides us with an opportunity to think about how we might choose to act in those situations. Will we have the courage to help out in the small ways that can make a big difference?

Turn on the news and what do you see? Man's inhumanity to man. Ukraine, Gaza etc etc. It's enough to make you lose faith in the human race - or it would be were it not for the occasional story of humanity at its best.

In Czechoslovakia in 1938-9, a small group of people (Nicholas Winton is the best known as he was the last survivor of that group) are appalled by the plight of mainly Jewish refugees, and resolve to do something. Despite opposition from governments (German, Dutch, British and American) they manage to evacuate 669 children and provide them with foster families in the UK, where many of their descendants live to this day. A further 250 children were on a train that was scheduled to leave on the day war was declared. Two of them were still alive at the war's end.

Then the story was forgotten for more than forty years, until at last Nicholas Winton was given the recognition he deserved (not the least astonishing part of the story is that Robert Maxwell did one decent thing in his life).

The film is in two parts; the younger Winton being played by Johnny Flynn, the older by Anthony Hopkins. Both give stand-out performances. Also excellent is Helena Bonham Carter as Winton's mother. The scene where she tells a bureaucrat what she thinks of him is priceless.

But the most important aspect of the film is its message. Human kindness is still a force in the world. Everyone can make a difference. No good deed, be it great or small, is ever wasted.

If only governments were run by people like Nicholas Winton.

I rarely concern myself with the opinions of others, especially professional critics, but some of the negative reviews I've read about this are churlish to say the least. I think one of the big positives of this film is that it just tells the story. Most of us in UK probably know the story of Sir Nicholas Winton and how he organised the transport of 669 Czech Jewish children to relative safety in the UK in the face of the Nazi onslaught in the Sudetenland and Czechoslovakia. Despite what some suggest, it clearly shows that this is a team effort led by Winton's persistence and determination; it does not make him out to be the sole hero. However, as important as the evacuations is the story about how it came into the British consciousness via the quirky 1970s BBC TV show, 'That's Life.' It truly is something that needed to be told, then and now, and is done so in a suitably serious nut heartwarming manner. Do go and see it and do be prepared for the final scenes.

The true story of Sir Nicholas Winton, who was responsible for evacuating over 600 children from Czechoslovakia, which was on the verge of Nazi invasion.

This is a truly outstanding film, one of the best I've seen in a while, for my shame I had no idea if Nicholas Winton's story until this film, it promoted me to dig deeper, what a fascinating, brave man.

Beautifully produced, and not just the visuals, of course it looked amazing, but the tone and feel of the movie was perfect. At times I honestly felt like I was watching something by Stephen Poliakoff, someone who truly does know how to move the viewers.

BBC films, proof that The BBC still has the ability to deliver incredible quality, when it focuses on actual storytelling, this was like something made from yesteryear.

Sir Anthony Hopkins delivers yet another masterclass, his scenes at the That's Life studio were incredible, Hopkins was matched by an equally captivating performance from Johnny Flynn, fabulous.

Intensely moving, I saw many tears at the cinema, a very powerful story, a true act of selfless bravery.

Wonderful.

10/10.