Their Finest

A film about moviemaking during the Battle of Britain and the London Blitz sounds fascinating right? The drama of the setting, the purpose behind the film and its aim, and then the girl-power of women in the workplace all sound great together and promise an inspiring and moving experience. This was what I was expecting when I went to see Their Finest, but I cannot honestly say that it’s what I got. 

Based on the novel by Lissa Evans, the film tells the story of Catrin Cole (Gemma Arterton), a woman who is offered a job of scriptwriting for the Ministry of Information. Beginning with short films, Catrin moves on to bigger things when she is sent to investigate a local news story about twin girls who stole their father’s boat to bring back troops from Dunkirk. But turning the twins’ story into a film proves to be more of a challenge than expected as Catrin has to deal with gender inequality of her characters, authenticity issues, marketing problems, and making the story appeal to a wider audience. 

There are many s-words that can best describe this film: subtle, slow, simple, sweet, any of those will work. And whilst there is nothing bad about a movie that is all of these things, I cannot help but see the negatives of them when considering Their Finest. 

My major problem with the film was its depiction of women. Now, you can argue that this treatment of women and the attitude towards them makes the movie very authentic because it’s a reflection of attitudes at the time. But honestly, when so many men are away at war, wouldn’t you think there would be more female characters on the home front? 

We’re given two strong female characters in this movie –potentially three if you include the token ‘bitch’ career woman who dresses like a man- and then all the others are minute supporting characters with hardly any screen time at all. The twins and the actors who play them in the film are practically non-existent, and then we have the domineering way men treat our leading heroine. 

Catrin is sharp, witty, and smart, but she still is strongly under the dominion of men and this is highlighted to the point of annoying in this film. Her ‘husband’ changes her name and then becomes threatened when she becomes the primary breadwinner, so he plans to ship her back to Whales on the pretence that she’ll be safer there. Even more annoyingly, it takes her rival/romantic interest to point all this stuff out as if Catrin doesn’t have a voice of her own. 

We also have the character of Bill Nighy’s agent who begins the film as a very strong woman, telling Nighy off and bringing him off his cloud of denial and arrogance, but when disaster strikes she becomes this simpering caregiver. Normally I try not to bring gender ethics and equality opinions into reviews, but it really got to me in this film and as such, resulted in my becoming a little disjointed from the movie. It ruptured my filmic experience, so that is why I mention it. 

Aside from that large swab of negativity, Their Finest is actually a sweet and surprising film. 

All the performances are subtle and quite down to earth, there is a perfect blend of drama, heartbreak, and humour throughout (including a twist that I definitely didn’t see coming), and I have to applaud the art department, set designers, costume designers, and everyone who worked on creating London during the Blitz because it was very authentic and quite beautiful in a gloomy sort of way. 

There are achievements in this movie, but there are some jarring issues too. However, I would not dissuade anyone from seeing it if they are the slightest bit interested. 

Starring: Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy, Jack Huston, Paul Ritter, Henry Goodman, Jack Lacy, Eddy Marsan, Helen McCrory, Richard E. Grant, and Jeremy Irons 

Rating: M