Their Finest

      Gemma Arterton stars in this new independent British film. It is a  WWII wartime drama laced with humor about the British Ministry of Information, film division, creating an morale boosting film about the Dunkirk evacuation. Ms. Arterton as Catrin Cole, along with Sam Caflin, as Tom Buckley, play the writers of the film within a film.

       Co-starring are a fine ensemble of British actors including the wonderful and completely charming Bill Nighy, Helen McCrory, Richard E. Grant, Eddie Marsan, Rachael Stirling and Jack Huston.  Jake Lacy also co-stars as an American pilot cast to garner U.S. sympathy for England (the U.S. had entered the war as yet). The scenes where Mr. Nighy tries to coach "acting" to the pilot are priceless.

       The film makes a strong statement for female empowerment and even addresses homosexuality in a  subtle way through one of the female characters.  Filming under constant bombardment by the Germans, and script revisions by the British War Office, are not the ideal conditions to make a movie but the film mixes the drama and suspense with some light hearted humor and it all makes for fine entertainment.