Testament of Youth – ABC Film Challenge – Movies from the 2010s – V (Alicia Vikander) – Testament of Youth – Movie Review
Director: James Kent
Writer: Juliette Towhidi (Screenplay)
Writer: Vera Brittain (Autobiography)
Cast
- Alicia Vikander (Tomb Raider)
- Kit Harington (Game of Thrones)
- Taron Egerton (Rocketman)
- Dominic West (Chicago)
- Colin Morgan (Belfast)
Plot: A British woman recalls coming of age during World War I – a story of young love, the futility of war, and how to make sense of the darkest times.
Runtime: 2 Hours 9 Minutes
There may be spoilers in the rest of the review
Story: Testament of Youth starts as we meet a young English woman Vera Brittain (Vikander). She dreams of breaking tradition and attending Oxford. After her brother Edward (Egerton) convinces their father Mr Brittain (West) to let her try, she gets accepted.
However, when World War I breaks out, Edward looks to join the military to fight, against their father’s wishes. With her love interest Roland (Harington) at war, Vera enlists to be a nurse helping the victims, giving up her chance at Oxford, and overcoming the odds thrown toward her.
Verdict on Testament of Youth
Testament of Youth is a drama that explores the true diaries of Vera Brittain. She saw her fiancée and brother go to World War I, while she looked to become a nurse helping the wounded. Seeing the heartache of the war first-hand and helping people understand the pain it caused.
This movie gets to focus on how many young men were killed during the war. It shows how some struggle with injuries and the people left behind struggle too. This is adapted from the best-selling biography, showing how personal the story is to Vera. Alicia Vikander is wonderful in the leading role, while the supporting cast all get their chance to shine.
Final Thoughts – Testament of Youth is a heart breaking drama following one woman’s story through the war.
