Heavy on visual metaphor, The Aftermath is a beautiful looking film which is all about grief.
Set in a winters 1945 Hamburg, a matter of months after the end of the war, we see a city in ruins.
The allied fire bombing destroyed thousands and the survivors and their English victors now reside in an uneasy peace with the senior Army staff occupying the best German houses.
One such house is shared between former architect Stefan Lubert (Alexander Skarsgård) his daughter and the Morgans- British Army Colonel and his wife Keira Knightly and Jason Clarke)and as the British try to maintain order amongst the starving and destitute population the situation allows for an affair to begin between Lubert and Mrs Morgan.
Of course the affair is nothing to do with lust ( Skarsgard does however look mighty fine in his period knitwear!!!) no the four people sharing the house are just a reflection of the city they inhabit for they have all been damaged and scarred by loss and grief.
The Morgan's lost a son in the blitz. The Lubert's a wife and mother during the operation Gomorrah fire bombing) and set against the claustrophobic backdrop of a grand German house in the snow, each of the protagonists deal with their own grief in their own way.
Nicely acted and beautifully shot by Franz Lustig, The Aftermath isn't a profound film, but it's a very watchable a worthy attempt to show the more hidden aspects of wartime grief.
Cinema this afternoon and Theatre this evening. Hey ho
Cinema and theatre in one day! You are a goddam culture vulture sir! Surprising you didn't fit in a poetry reading too.
ReplyDeleteAny time you want a Poetry reading as YP suggests above, come up here John and I will give you one. The dogs must think you are never in these days.
ReplyDeleteJohn might give you one! (...A poetry reading I mean)
DeleteWhat an interesting review of a movie I've never even heard of. Ta.
ReplyDeleteHow are your muscles today? I really preferred it when body parts did their jobs silently and without complaint. Not so these days...
Cinema and theater in the same day? What a busy social calendar you have!
Hugs!
I got up early and went for a power walk with Mary. It helped to ease the pain
DeleteI'm going to do something I've never done before and go to a cinema on my own because I want to see this. Thank you for the review
ReplyDeleteSue....I have always gone to the cinema on my own, even when I was married I'd go by myself if The Prof didn't want to see the movie
DeleteNever feel uncomfortable . Take some goodies to eat , grab a coffee and enjoy xx
Sounds like a film I would like hope you evening at the theatre is just as nice, have a lovely weekend John.
ReplyDeleteWar movies! Some are very good. If the story is good, I’m all for those.
ReplyDeleteXoXo
I love a man in uniform xx
DeleteThat one goes on my list, thank you John. I hope the theatre is good too. At least with a movie, you can walk out if it’s just too dire. We went to Colette, with Keira Knightly and it was well worth watching as a study of the social mores of the day. The previous movie, for me, was How to Train your Dragon!! With the 3y10m grandson! Lots of fun! There are two rules for going with littlies , (1) feed them the storyline so you know they’re keeping up, especially if a baddie changes sides, and (2) feed them! Coffee for me (in a proper cup, it’s an Art House theatre) and prepared snacks for him... perfect for a wet day.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the theatre this evening
Virginia
(had to publish anonymously as it wouldn’t accept my Google account!
Thank you dearheart
DeleteFucking gifs.
ReplyDeleteJust for you darling x
DeleteTwo the same in one post? We have the deleted one just below this one.
DeleteWhere there's Gomorrah there's going to be Sodom eh ;)
ReplyDeleteTrust you!
DeleteCoffee?
Yes, although I have a busy week ahead with appointments so our schedules may not align. I am also arranging my move to the country, aka Garden City.
Deletei have this on my list to see. i only go to movies by myself. i don't like the idea of going with anyone else.
ReplyDeleteGood for you xxx
DeleteOooh, its all about grief?
ReplyDeleteWho got divorced? lol
That's a nice thing to say
DeleteIts called humour, don't be so sensitive dearheart :)
DeleteIts actually quite nasty
DeleteNah, just honest, like yourself :)
DeleteHonest and a coward given the fact you hide behind an anon
DeleteArsehole
I agree. Nasty.
DeleteI've booked to see this tomorrow without any trace of enthusiasm, but felt I 'ought' to go. By now I'm fed up to the back teeth with WW2 films or, as in this case, what its direct consequences were. Your quite positive take on it gives me hope that it won't entirely be a time-waster.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't even heard about this, but your review makes me want to see it. If only it didn't have Keira Knightly...
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