Oldman is able to capture the conscience of Churchill in his “darkest hour,” as well as his speech patterns to the tee in Darkest Hour. There is a great deal of depth and range to his character, as he takes viewers on an exhausting journey. The motion picture is a biographical period drama about Churchill’s early days as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, all while German Chancellor Adolph Hitler closes in on England during the World War II; Churchill took a stand, which subsequently changed history. “We shall never surrender,” Oldman said, in character as Churchill.
Joe Wright does a superb job on the film’s direction, with a flawless screenplay from Anthony McCarten; moreover, Oldman is astounding as the drunken yet powerful Winston Churchill (who was known for his morning breakfast champagne). Although, it is an outstanding one man film, actress Kristin Scott Thomas is also impressive as his wife, Clementine Churchill. With the deserving hype for his portrayal of Churchill, one should not be surprised if the film earns an Oscar nomination in the coveted “Best Picture” category, and Kristin Scott Thomas for “Best Supporting Actress.”
A veteran actor, Oldman deserves to win every acting accolade that comes his way for this role, including the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA and Oscar for this stellar performance, since he is absolutely transformative as Churchill. This performance ranks equal in excellence as Forest Whitaker’s The Last King of Scotland, and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Capote.
