Their Finest (2016)

4 stars.

Comedy, Drama, Romance

Their Finest has one of the most interesting settings for a story I have ever heard of; the propaganda films department in England’s government during WW1. Enter newcomer Catrin Cole (Gemma Arterton), who has just landed a job as a writer – the woman writing “the slop”, which means the dialogue for the women in the films. She works with Buckley and Parfitt to write their newest film and then they start filming it. That is the basic storyline.

I did really like this film and almost everything about it. What really stands out for me were the relationships and how natural the dialogue between the characters were. Good slop! First, Catrin’s relationship with her fellow writers and then as part of a larger group, the cast and filmmakers of their film. It was fun and smart writing in my opinion.

Later on, her relationship with Buckley (Sam Claflin) begins to change. Or not really, it just suddenly becomes different. I really enjoyed their friendship. I liked how they acted together. Not that I’m opposed to romance but this particular storyline was done rather heavy-handedly. Every aspect of it. I really wanted to like them as a couple but context is important and I think it was just too sudden. 

The WW1 setting was very interesting and I thought it was put to good use – obviously considering it’s a fundamental part of the film. I also appreciated that while the bombings were mentioned, and the characters were being realistically careful, most of the film was still fun and lighthearted. Until it wasn’t. Honestly, I was really annoyed about this one event in the film that I won’t spoil but it just didn’t fit in with the rest of the film.

Bizarrely, there was also another storyline running alongside Catrin’s and that was of Bill Nighy’s Ambrose Hillard, an ageing and self-absorbed actor who gets a role in Catrin’s film. I feel very ambivalent towards this storyline and honestly, really don’t understand why this was expanded on as much as it was. 

Apart from those two little bits, it was a very solid film and I would watch it again.

Watch it: in the evening, it’s a very calm film.