Their Finest (Film Review) – Serviceable but Forgettable

Their Finest is a British war drama directed by Lone Scherfig and is based on the 2009 novel Their Finest Hour and a Half which was written by Lissa Evans. The film stars Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy, Jack Huston, Jake Lacy, Richard E. Grant, Rachael Stirling and Jeremy Irons. The story is set in Britain during World War II (WW2) and focuses on the making of a morale-boosting film by a British Ministry of Information film team. The film being made is about the Dunkirk evacuation but the filming is taking place during the Battle of Britain and the London Blitz.

My Knowledge and Expectation of Their Finest

To be honest, I knew little about Their Finest. I had seen little marketing for the film, I had not seen any trailers for it and had not read or watched any reviews. ­The only thing I knew was that Bill Nighy was in it and I thought I might as well give Their Finest a chance. Certainly, I like Bill Nighy but I also like films set during WW2 and I had a feeling that I could be pleasantly surprised by this film.

My Thoughts on Their Finest

I was wrong. I did not like Their Finest. It is a serviceable film but it did not impact me. I was never emotionally invested in the story or the characters and I feel as though a big reason for this is down to how boring the film is. For me, it does not have a point to exist and it is very forgettable.

There were a few things I did enjoy to a small degree. Bill Nighy was my favourite part of Their Finest but this was simply because he was being himself. He was not acting and his natural demeanour in the film was probably why he was the character I liked the most. I thought Gemma Arterton was fine in the lead role and it was nice to see Jeremy Irons pop up in one scene.

Still, none of this elevated Their Finest to a place where I am gasping to watch it again. For me, this film is very disposable, boring, pointless and disappointing. I cannot recommend that you should see it as soon as you can.