mickmarshall-50977 The only good things to take away from this film were the performances of Bill Nighy and his agents. It was overly sentimental and the characters had neither chemistry nor believability.

Myriam Nys This tragicomedy contains things to like, such as a sensitive and careful reconstruction of everyday life during wartime. There are also flashes of wit and insight to savour. But it is unclear what, if anything, the movie hopes to say or teach or achieve. Does it want to tell us that life is short and war is cruel ? That movies, especially propaganda movies, tend to embellish and embroider ? That the making of movies, especially propaganda movies, is a demanding and capricious business ? But surely we knew all that ?Another of the movie's themes concerns the shifting role and work division between men and women. But again, there have been other, earlier movies that treated the same subject. Besides, it's difficult to pick up a school book on modern Western society that doesn't mention this transformation.The biggest disappointment, for me, came from the scenes where the viewer (finally !) gets to see the propaganda movie about the Dunkirk evacuation. You expect something grand, something sweeping, something stunning - or, who knows, perhaps something cheesy or chaotic beyond belief. Instead you are rewarded with a few glimpses of what seems like a nicely crafted but unremarkable work. It's underwhelming, especially for a sweeping epic that was supposed to rouse the USA to full-throated fury. Was this the movie that launched a thousand ships and burnt the topless towers of Ilium? No, mate, it wasn't.

begob During the Blitz a struggling copywriter gets a job to help write a propaganda film about the Dunkirk evacuation, but the men in her life are not always helpful ...Lovely period drama, with a good balance of humour and hurt, and well produced all round. It's a long run time, but the pace is good, and the location switches keep the interest up. The story is love in a time of war, and there are several ups and downs amid the grim cruelty, with the added irony of the characters suffering the screenwriter's trick that they themselves apply: keep upping the ante until they have no choice but to resolve their predicament. There's also amusement in the camera trickery.One complaint: there is a brutal twist, which does tie in with the theme of life not being structured like stories, but I am bewildered by it and feel it wasn't handled right.Some of the humour comes from the chemistry between the screenwriters, but mostly from the crew on set down by the seaside, where Bill Nighy is on good form. The lead actress shows how good she is with quality material, and the cast delivers a solid performance. I particularly liked the scene with the twin sisters in Devon.Overall: Heartening romance that lets in the light and the dark.

paul jones This film was a throwback to the great days of film making. The war is merely a background to a story about a group of people trying to do their best in the face of adversity. It's also about women emerging into the workplace and fighting for their right to play a broader role in society. The characters all work together to generate a real empathy with the audience. Mainly, it contains fun, romance, heartbreak, redemption, a good story, fine acting and a warm heart. Park your cynicism for 2 hours and Enjoy.