Their Finest (2017)

Their Finest is that rare wartime film that understands morale isn’t just a slogan—it’s a daily act of imagination, and it finds real exhilaration in the messy, funny, moving business of trying to make art while the world shakes. Lone Scherfig gives the Blitz a lived-in texture without drowning the story in gloom, letting the movie glide between wry backstage comedy and sincere, hard-won emotion as Gemma Arterton’s quietly formidable screenwriter fights to be heard in a room full of men who think they already know the story. Sam Claflin brings a restless spark, and Bill Nighy is a kind of bittersweet grace note, turning scenes into little gifts with his presence. If you want a combat-heavy war picture this isn’t it, but if you’re on the fence and craving something romantic, sharp, and unexpectedly uplifting about why stories matter when times are darkest, this one earns your attention.

Their Finest is aiming for a charming, bittersweet look at how movies were used as morale-boosting propaganda during the Blitz, with a welcome focus on a woman carving out space in a smug, male-run workplace. The problem is it often settles for a familiar romantic-drama template, and the love-triangle beats can feel more like obligation than genuine emotional inevitability, which blunts the wartime stakes. If you’re hoping for a tense, hard-edged WWII film or a sharply unpredictable character piece, this may come off as too tidy and politely structured. Still, Gemma Arterton brings grounded warmth, Bill Nighy is reliably magnetic, and the behind-the-scenes filmmaking details give it enough texture to enjoy if you’re in the mood for a gentle period crowd-pleaser rather than a gut-punch.