Darkest Hour

So I can’t help to compare the performance of Brian Cox in the movie Churchill to Gary Oldman in Darkest Hour. Not only are they playing the same man, but they’re playing him at the exact same moment in history. Both performances are good but I like Oldman’s performance better. I have two reasons. One, I did not even reconize Oldman as Churchill. That might have a lot to do with the make up used to transform him, yet I’m well versed in Oldman as he’s been in a lot of my favorite movies and I tell you I saw nothing of the actor within his Churchill performance.

This is probably a good time to bring up my comparsion to Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill to Woody Harrelson in his peromance as Lyndon Johnson in LBJ. Both where outstanding performances and even though I liked what Harrelson was doing better,  I can still see  Harelsen within the make up. Not with Oldman.

This leads to number two. What Darkest Hour and LBJ have it common is that they are both really good movies. Churchill was ok. For me it worked more like some guy was converting a play to the big screen. Darkest Hour worked better as a movie. It also gave more striking detail of what was going on as the Brits faced off against Hitler. It was a more fascinating narrative of the events and that gives Oldman’s turn as Churchill the upper hand.

Speaking of acting, I should also mention the spectacular job done by Ben Mendelson as King George. It was perfect. Reminded me of  Colin Firth in the King’s Speech, it was a good transformation as well of the look and feel of the King.

Also a great supporting actor job goes to Lilly James who plays Churchill’s secretary. It must have been hard trying to bounce off of Oldman’s energetic performance but she did a great job.

Otherwise, the movie is very politically a lot of talking in the war room, wacthing the military strategize,wacthing the political storm as most were not convince of Churchill’s ability. Some of it bored me I could not help it it was too much, but Oldman made me feel like the shit bored Churchill as well, whenever he get frustrated and slam his hand down and say a few very inspiring words. It was a great job making him intresting.

Its a well down drama that would have been too slow for me if not for three excellent performances by three amazing actors, especially the man in the fat suit Oldman playing Churchill.