One Life, 2024.
Directed by James Hawes.
Starring Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Flynn, Helena Bonham Carter, Jonathan Pryce, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp, Lena Olin, Samantha Spiro, Adrian Rawlins, Marthe Keller, Ziggy Heath, Tom Glenister, Tim Steed, Samuel Finzi, Matilda Thorpe, Daniel Brown, Jirí Simek, Barbora Váchová, Ella Novakova, Juliana Moska, Michal Skach, Samuel Himal, Matej Karas, Alzbeta Cerna, Dan Vynohradnyk, Max Vynohradnyk, Antonie Formanová, Rút Schmidtová, Michael Gould, and Ffion Jolly.
SYNOPSIS:
Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker who, in the months leading up to World War II, rescued over 600 children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia.
When British stockbroker of German ancestry turned humanitarian Nicky Winton discusses his plans to help hundreds of jeopardized children escape Prague at the beginning of a Nazi invasion, he is given a Jewish saying that is the equivalent of telling someone to finish what they start. It’s all the reasoning that is necessary for director James Hawes (working from a script by Lucinda Coxon and Nick Drake, based on the book If It’s Not Impossible…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton by Barbara Winton) to have One Life jump forward and backward through time with an older Nicky (the legendary Anthony Hopkins) unsure of what to do with his unsung, secret legacy and the historical proof he has tucked away inside a briefcase. He also has to figure out soon since he is about to become a grandfather, relatives are visiting for Christmas, and his wife Grete (Lena Olin) wants him to clear some space in the house.
In 1938, Nicky is played by Johnny Flynn with headstrong determination. When the Nazis place more pressure on him and his rescuer cohorts (including everyone from friends to his mother, played by Helena Bonham Carter), he insists everyone work harder and faster, leading by example. One Life also successfully functions as a gripping, close-up look at the procedure of getting over 600 children visas, money, and foster homes lined up before being snuck out of the country via trains in large groups. From the initial thought that children should be the prioritized escapees over endangered politicians to the numerous obstacles that wind up standing in their way, it’s a small, inspiring film that shows what can be accomplished when ordinary people try to be extraordinary without giving in to mounting pressure.
That drama is simplistic and melodramatic at times but also sincere and honest, with compelling turns from Johnny Flynn and Anthony Hopkins. The pacing is also somewhat off in the first half, switching between the past and the 1980s without much grace; it feels more like tagging Anthony Hopkins in for some work more than anything. However, during the back half, those transitions become more seamlessly integrated into the story, building momentum for one greater narrative that reaches a stirring high that ends with a chilling piece of factual information regarding some extras in the film.
Naturally, there is much to admire about witnessing the dangerous steps of this rescue operation in execution, but arguably, even more to appreciate in observing Anthony Hopkins play this hero so humbly he isn’t sure what to do with any of the records of his good deeds. That question becomes more complicated and infuriating when a newspaper editor tells Nicky he doesn’t see much of a story here. This leads to him appearing on a late-night talk that some might perceive as tacky, yet he is comfortable with it, believing that the best way to get the story out there is to get it in front of where the people are.
It certainly provides some food for thought on what else people could, and perhaps should, do to address important topics or recount historical stories today. However, the endgame to One Life is much more emotional and appropriately puts into context the magnitude of Nicky’s work and the lives he saved. It allows for a touching finish to something incredible Nicky started. This cozy, familiar flick is more than effective enough on the heart and soul.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
