“The thing is the movie has a lot of big things to say, but what I love about books or music or anything is the fact that it doesn’t forget to be entertaining,” Bill Nighy said regarding his film Their Finest, which has arrived on BBC iPlayer following its broadcast on BBC Two. The 2016 war dramedy, directed by Lone Scherfig and written by Gaby Chiappe, is now available for streaming in the UK.
Critical reception of the wartime drama
The film, which features a star-studded cast including Gemma Arterton and Richard E Grant, holds a 90% approval rating from 168 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. The critics’ consensus notes that the production “smoothly combines comedy and wartime drama to crowd-pleasing effect.”
Reviewers have offered varying perspectives on the movie’s execution:
- Little White Lies described the film as a “thoughtful, trenchant and penetrating wartime romance” that “grows into something special, powered forward by Arterton’s charming central turn.”
- Deep Focus Reviews praised Scherfig for her ability to balance tones, noting she “carefully manoeuvring around the pervasive wartime trauma to find romantic, funny, and touching moments.”
- Den of Geek called it a “well-told story with exquisite mise-en-scène, costumes, lighting and staging,” suggesting it acts as “a much-needed catharsis for our times.”
- Flick Feast provided a less glowing take, stating that “the plot lacks emotional depth,” though they still characterized it as a “sweet, heart-warming period drama that reminds viewers that there is hope during hard times.”
The cast performs during the London Blitz
Set during the grim period following the Dunkirk evacuation, the story follows the British government’s efforts to raise population morale as the Battle of Britain transitions into the London Blitz. The ensemble cast includes Sam Claflin, Jack Huston, Jake Lacy, Henry Goodman, Rachael Stirling, Eddie Marsan, Amanda Root, Helen McCrory, and Claudia Jessie.
Reflecting on the film’s balance of themes, Nighy noted that the production “doesn’t forget that it’s in show business… So you get to laugh and cry, hopefully, and you get something to think about.”
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