Film No. 26 (2015) April 16th. 6:30 PM PARADISO Northbridge.
"How many generations get a chance to be involved in something like that?" (Roland played by Kit Harington urges Vera to understand why he wishes to go to war).
Testament of Youth
The memoir of the same title, written by Vera Brittain is a classic and the likely transposition of Brittain's story to screen has been spoken about for years. Those who have read the memoir and fallen in love with Brittain's words may be loathed to risk this cinematic adaptation. Unfortunately I have not read the memoir but my experience with this screen version has left me full of praise for the production and all who brought it to the big screen.
With just a week remaining before we commemorate the ANZACs who left our Australian and New Zealand shores to risk life and limb during World War I this film could not have pricked my emotions more. Testament of Youth takes us on an emotional roller-coaster of a ride through the raw emotions of war away from the battlefields. Vera is played with a subtle power by Alicia Vikander the exploration of the repercussions of war, through her eyes, will leave you emotionally drained by film's end.
This film does not overload its audience with melodrama or confusing subplots. Put simply, we meet Vera, her brother Edward (Taron Egerton) and his school mates Victor (Colin Morgan) and Roland. They are young, intelligent and encourage each other to reach for the stars. The feisty Vera wants to write and she bustles her way to begin her studies at Oxford. Her love for Roland evolves but the war intervenes. Only Vera seems scared for her three musketeers. To the young men it is an adventure of a lifetime. And so the film takes us on their heart wrenching journey.
There is some melodrama when it comes to Vera's exploits as a nurse working behind the lines in France. There are a couple of clunky scenes which are too far fetched to warrant inclusion, so maybe director James Kent (Marchlands and Inside Men), known more for his television work, didn't trust his instincts. On second thoughts there is just a little more melodrama than I can usually bare but, for me, it worked. Testament of Youth caught me at the right moment. 10GUMS
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