SnoReptilePlenty
Memorable, crazy movie
Taha Avalos
The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.
Nicole
I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
loschavez
Just saw the DVD and I couldn't be more pleased.We all knew Albert Finney is a monumental star; not only in Brit cinema, but altogether on the screen. Ever since he was a young beau.Now in his elderly career he looms larger than most; and the role of Winnie proved easy as pie to this wonderful trouper. I have visited his beautiful estate, Chartwell. It's stupendous; here we see how he loved it. Meaning as well his love for the British Empire. The story of his unbelievable resurgence to power during the Gathering Storm that was apparent only to him, is certainly dramatic. That's the core of this triumphant role for Albert Finney.Finney's Churchill makes an entire era return to life again, such is the manic strength of his acting. He becomes Winston Churchill.Spoiler alert! All the rest of this cast help make it lovely and nostalgic; Linus Roache as Ralph Wigram and Lonnie Barker, playing Inches the faithful butler: Who isn't afraid to scratch back at his dominating master; a sweet spot of comic relief. I only found Vanessa Redgrave barely suitable for such an important role as Clementine the adored wife. While she was having affairs the Old Man was saving the world from Adolf Hitler. That probably casts her in a bad light, of course. The production and acting are outstanding; as we've become so used to in numerous British TV movies. To see Albert Finney at his apogee, watch The Gathering Storm!
Robert W.
The Gathering Storm is one of the few films about one of the most incredible and interesting men in history, Winston Churchill. And to do that they picked probably the best man in Hollywood to do the job but I'll get to that. The Gathering Storm does not focus on Churchill's shining moments as Prime Minister during the worst world War the world has ever seen but rather the time leading up to that. We see Churchill's intense and often insulting personality, his romance and relationship with his wife, his money problems and the world around him before he became so famous in the world's eye. The only downside to The Gathering Storm is that I do believe the film could have turned into a major HBO epic and instead it clocks in at a rather measly 1 1/2 hours. We miss out on some major moments in Churchill's existence and the film is so well performed and created that you want so much more. At times the film is a little slow and certainly the entire film relies on star Albert Finney's performance.Albert Finney is just regal. He is an incredible actor and I have loved him since Annie where he was everyone's lovable brute Daddy Warbucks and I got to love him again as the reluctant but brilliant lawyer in Erin Brockovich. The idea of him playing Winston Churchill just fits!! He is perfect. Egotistical, powerful, maniacal at times, even slightly paranoid but nonetheless somehow charismatic beyond belief. Finney captures that essence and that isn't easy to do. He is so watchable which makes this film great. The story is good but it's not fantastic, in fact it's a little slow moving at times and drags it's feet a little but Finney is so charismatic and watchable that you don't even notice it. Vanessa Redgrave is the perfect addition to this cast and the even better partner to Finney's Churchill as Mrs. Clemmie Churchill. It takes a strong woman to live up to Churchill's overbearing personality and Redgrave captures that part of Clemmie's personality and is never overshadowed by Finney's performance. She does an incredible job. Linus Roache who has had some big roles as of recently in Batman Begins, The Forgotten and Chronicles of Riddick plays British Intelligence officer Ralph Wigram who risks everything to give Winston Churchill the real facts about Germany's growing army and risk to England. He plays an emotional and good role if not slightly small. The supporting cast is not to be ignored because they all do a great job, no one stands out as being worse or better than any one else. Unfortunately for them Finney and Redgrave are so powerful together and separately that they steal the show but then the film is truly about them so that is the way it should be.The Gathering Storm never tries to be about the war, Germany, politics, anything like that but rather about Winston Churchill PERIOD. His love for his wife, his poor behavior, his terrific moments, his bad moments, ups and downs, ego and modesty. In the hour and a half we see every side of the man and that is what the film is meant to do. Director Richard Loncraine, who more recently directed the terrific action film Firewall, does a great job of capturing the era. He gives us that sense of foreboding and worry that everyone had before Germany's invasion of Poland. He also captures Churchill's intense patriotism and love for his country. The setting is beautiful, 99% of the film takes place in Churchill's lavish home Chartwell but even that being the only major location it's breath taking and perfectly suited for the film and Churchill's struggle to regain power in government. Any history fan, Finney fan or someone who likes a good strong drama should check this one. It's a great little watch and you will crave for more. 8/10
jmerkouris
This film, made for the small screen by Home Box Office, defines how TV movies should be made. The film is an absorbing look at one of the true visionary and inspiring leaders of the twentieth century, Sir Winston Churchill. Mr. Churchill is portrayed by Sir Albert Finney in a role certain to further define his distinguished career in film. Mr. Finney brings humor, strength, rascality, and an amazing resemblance of the character's figure, form and facial features to the role. Aside from this great performance, the film accurately depicts and captures the dark and indecisive years preceding the war in Britain with a strong cast, a splendid adaptation from Mr. Churchill's own writings and the sense of the personal strength and integrity that served England so well in this, Her finest hour.
thomascapital
I have read most of Mr. Churchill's writings (tens of thousands of pages) and he was the greatest leader of his day and perhaps in England's great history.The liberal/pacifist fools of the day (Stanley Baldwin/Chamberlin) and their attempts to placate Hitler, made Hitler whom he became, a ruthless and brutal thug. The League of Nations placated Hitler and allowed the Treaty of Versailles to be violated, repeatedly, until it had no weight or validity.Does any of this sound familiar today? Yes, the UN, the new league, has done nothing to stop brutal thugs throughout the globe; however, fools in America and abroad are still acting as if everything will be fine, if we just let these thugs be. Fool.The Movie was perfectly acted on all accounts, and Finney performed an Oscar worthy.
