Journey’s End **** (2017, Sam Claflin, Paul Bettany, Asa Butterfield, Toby Jones, Stephen Graham ) – Movie Review

A new film version of R C Sherriff’s famous play (and novel) Journey’s End was inevitable sooner or later. Actually it is later, for we have had to wait till the impending 100th anniversary of the story’s events in France in 1918 for the movie remake of James Whale’s 1930 classic Journey’s End. However creaky, it is still a revered classic, by the way.

A 2017 version of this material was always going to be glum, grim viewing. Director Saul Dibb makes sure it is, quite rightly, but you just sit there, like the characters, fearing the two moments when the horrific trench warfare action starts. Dibb takes no prisoners, though the Brits do manage to take one, with huge, and absurd loss of life.

It is a hugely depressing story that leaves you dazed and confused afterwards. That’s the intention. That is right and proper. Please don’t take popcorn to the cinema when you see it.

The acting is stupendous, with Sam Claflin raising his game in the star role as the embittered, alcoholic, possibly gay officers’ leader Captain Stanhope, Paul Bettany as the older, wiser Osborne, Asa Butterfield as the fresh young lieutenant just arrived in the trenches, all bright eyed, bushy tailed and super keen, and Toby Jones in a very well judged, semi-comedic role as the head cook and bottle washer Mason. All four could not be better. In less rewarding support roles, Stephen Graham’s experienced Trotter, Tom Sturridge’s cowardly, shell-shocked Hibbert and Robert Glenister’s Colonel are spot on.

Script-wise, in Simon Reade’s screenplay, it still feels like a slightly opened-out, slightly expanded stage play. It is one, and that’s that. It worked in Joseph Losey’s King and Country back in 1964. It works here, and works very well indeed. But I was nearly as glad to get out of the cinema as our boys must have been to get out of the trenches. That is film realism for you.

The dialogue is quite witty and quite clever, and above all still relevant. After getting on for a century, Sherriff’s anti-war message comes over thick and hard.

Saul Dibb is the maker of Bullet Boy, The Duchess and Suite Française.

It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 8 September 2017, followed by the London Film Festival on 6 October 2017, and its UK release on 2 February 2018.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Movie Review

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