![]() ![]() Visually, Teplitzky barrages the audience with a mix of muted and vibrant colors in 1980s England, hues of grey, blue, and brown make up the color palate, a surprising contrast to the bright greens of 1930s World War II-era Thailand. As Lomax’s wife, Patti (Nicole Kidman), researches his past and looks into images of the war in his notebooks, a steady drumbeat drives the tense moments forward until the low percussion becomes a high-pitched buzz, paralleling the sketches’ downward spiral from images of capture to those of torture. ![]() The score reflects each moment’s mood, adding light to the romantic moments and darkness to any mention of the war. Scene after scene, director Jonathan Teplitzky employs deft cinematography, integrating thoughtful visuals with a fitting soundtrack. The introduction sets a reflective and philosophical tone, a tone carried throughout the film as Lomax tries to battle his inner demons from his war years. ![]() Character actor Bryan Probets is particularly memorable in a small role as a major whose brain has been short-circuited by the prison camp.When the film begins, an older Lomax (Colin Firth) lying on the floor recites in a subdued, dead voice, “At the beginning of time, the clock struck one.” The camera trails from his feet to his face, a ghastly image when framed with the darkness and stream of light hitting his body. The supporting cast is uniformly excellent, to the point where Teplitzky deserves credit for his work with the cast of hundreds - especially in the more densely populated prison scenes. Pacing problems in the second half, when the present-day scenes become more scarce, are much less damaging because of Kidman's ability to make the best use of every moment onscreen.įirth seamlessly plays a man at least 15 years older than himself, and Kidman has her greatest success yet looking and acting her age. But while Firth's performance is the most memorable, Kidman's believability as a new wife who thinks her husband is worth fighting for holds the movie together. As his post-traumatic breakdowns get worse, she pushes him to confront his past.Īs the movie creeps forward with teases from the prison camp, Firth and Jeremy Irvine (playing the younger Lomax in harrowing flashbacks) convincingly show how a gentle young soldier becomes a broken man. They instantly have an intellectual connection, and the whirlwind affair doesn't leave time for Patti to fully understand Eric's demons. He meets Patti (Kidman), a former nurse who is adrift as well. It has the simplified feel of a book-made-into-a-movie at times (among other things, the filmmakers leave out Lomax's first wife and three children), but it's still a tense and moving experience.Įric (Firth) is a retired World War II veteran in the early 1980s, and he has a savant-like knowledge of English railways and military history. Firth and Kidman are both up for the challenge, complementing the compelling story with measured and memorable performances.Īustralian director Jonathan Teplitzky's mystery/drama focuses heavily on the torture and recovery themes in Eric Lomax's 1995 autobiographical novel. But there's great pain ahead, deeply buried truths, and ultimately an attempt at redemption and reconciliation. ![]()
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