Film review ‘ONE LIFE’ by Nick Gardener from ‘Built For Speed’

One Life, starring Anthony Hopkins, Lena Olin, Helena Bonham Carter and Romola Garai, tells the remarkable and very moving true story of the man often referred to as Britain’s Oscar Schindler, Nicholas Winton.

Winton (played as a young man by Johnny Flynn) was a London stockbroker who, in 1938, having learned of the growing refugee crisis in Czechoslovakia, flew to Prague to assist aid workers including the head of the British Committee for Refugees from Czechoslovakia, Dorreen Warriner (Romola Garai).  Alarmed by the scope of the situation and aware of an imminent nazi invasion, Winton became determined to arrange safe passage for as many Jewish Czech children as possible to foster homes in England.

The film depicts Winton’s feverish efforts to combat stuffy bureaucrats in England and a situation in Prague that was spinning out of control.  Much like Oscar Schindler, despite his phenomenal humanitarian achievements, he was apparently haunted by his inability to save as many children as he would have liked.

About half the film is set in 1989 as an elderly, retired Winton (Anthony Hopkins) attempts to deal with tortured memories and curiosity about the fate of the children he helped save.  This leads to an astonishing event which many will know about but won’t be spoiled in this review.

It probably comes as no surprise that this film at times packs a considerable emotional punch.  The emotion doesn’t feel at all forced but emerges organically from the situation and the superb performances, especially from Hopkins.  He gives Winton a quiet but unrelenting determination, touching and convincing empathy as well as a cheeky sense of humour.  Helena Bonham Carter is wonderfully forthright as his Winton’s mother in the war time scenes and Johnny Flynn is also excellent as the younger Winton but not as a compelling as Hopkins. Romola Garai once again demonstrates her considerable talents as the brusque but phenomenally committed Warriner.

This is classy, sophisticated filmmaking and the sort of film we don’t see enough these days, especially out of Hollywood.  Budget limitations show at times, particularly in the flashbacks to wartime Prague but this is not meant to be an historical epic or spectacle, the strength of this film lies in its amazing central character and his life-affirming display of humanity.

Nick’s rating: ***1/2

Genre: Drama/ War/Biopic.

Classification: PG.

Director(s): James Hawes.

Release date: 26th Dec 2023.

Running time: 110 mins.

Reviewer: Nick Gardener can be heard on “Built For Speed” every Friday night from 8-10pm on 88.3 Southern FM.

 

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