This film was neither as interesting or thrilling as it should have been.
The concept was all there, stealing a document from Munich which would prove to the world how evil and uncompromising Hitler (Ulrich Mattes) actually was, but instead, the film fell flat. Now, to be fair, to be remotely historically accurate, it would mean the document wouldn't be released but instead it indicates that that document allowed Britain time to breath and prepare because they knew war was on the horizon and Chamberlain (Jeremy Irons) didn't care if it made him a fool as it would also show what a liar Hitler was.
George Mackay received star billing as Hugh Legat, one of Chamberlain's private secretaries who was also a German major in college and has several good friends, former classmates in Munich, namely Paul von Hartmann (Jannis Niewohner) who was initially a Hitler supporter, believing that Hitler just wanted to make Germany great again (Germany was cruelly punished after World War I) but immediately changes his tune when his former girlfriend, Lena (Liv Lisa Fries) is beaten unconscious and will have to spend the rest of her life in a vegetative state, so he works for the rebellion.
It is hardly a happy reunion for the two classmates but it finally appears to give Hugh a purpose in his otherwise unhappy, mundane life, though that also means putting it in danger, which happens. Also, I feel he would have wiped his bloody nose with a handkerchief rather than his tie, but I nitpick.
My main problem with the film is the inconsistency of the ending. Sure, it is a relatively happy one as the two main characters somehow manage to make it to the end of the film alive. Paul is with his girlfriend, Helen (Sandra Huller) and Hugh goes back to his wife, Pamela (Jessica Brown Findlay), though that is where the problem comes in. At the beginning, he insists she take their son to her parents' house where it will be safe so either she doesn't go or they don't follow through with that plotline as she's there when he gets back and swears he'll change and put more of a focus on his family, as he should, though he was also on a mission of greater importance.
Still, the acting was pretty solid but this film still didn't leave much of an impact on me, which is just a shame as the actors deserve better. Grade: B
Side Notes:
-Though Jessica Brown Findlay was a scene-stealer, she received far too little screen time in the end, just three short scenes, though she put Hugh far more on edge than anyone else.
-Paul's original excuse for supporting Hitler is that he didn't think the racism wasn't going to be much of a problem and would have just faded out. America made the mistake with a former president and our country is still paying the price.
-Hitler has 27 bodyguards, that's excessive even for a crazy man.
-Coming home and seeing my child wearing a gas mask would have terrified me as well.
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