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During the Holocaust, it’s estimated that six million Jewish lives were lost. If it hadn’t been for the determined and often defiant people who stepped up to help, the number would have been so much higher. And the biopic One Life tells the story of one of those real-life heroes who refused to give up on young wartime refugees.
One Life stars Anthony Hopkins as Nicholas Winton, a retired London stock broker who’s been tasked with clearing out the old paperwork and memorabilia that’s taken over his house to prepare for the arrival of his grandchild in 1987. As he goes through his old memories, he looks back on the days before the war, in 1938, when his younger self (Johnny Flynn) traveled to Prague to help with the Jewish refugees who were fleeing Nazi occupation. Seeing the families struggling to survive, he felt called to bring refugee children to safety in England.
As it skips back and forth in time—from 1930s Nicholas and his quest to place hundreds of children in foster homes to 1980s Nicholas and his quest to find a worthy home for his memories—the film explores how a group of normal people was able to accomplish something extraordinary.
The wartime parts of the film are captivating—and sometimes emotional, too—following this driven young man as he gathers the resources in both London and Prague to connect the children with British homes on a tight timeline. Johnny Flynn gives a somewhat awkwardly charming yet entirely endearing performance as Nicholas, though Helena Bonham Carter stands out (as usual) in her role as his tenacious mother, Babette, who refused to back down from any challenge (or any government official).
The 1980s parts of the story, aren’t quite as captivating as the 1930s parts—and despite yet another strong performance by Anthony Hopkins, the character’s meetings with journalists and old friends take up a little too much of the film’s runtime. Still, this part of the story eventually ties everything together, offering a look at a man who was still haunted by the past—and by the lives that he was unable to save—only to be given a reminder of his remarkable achievements.
While the story spends more time than necessary on retired Nicholas, One Life still tells a remarkable—and often moving—story about one average man’s determination to make a difference. Though it isn’t always as powerful as it could have been, it’s a fascinating story nonetheless.
You can join this unlikely hero on his quest when One Life comes to theaters on March 15, 2024.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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