Film: One Life

I had a great start to this year's movie experiences. It's always fascinating to watch a real-life story unfolding on the big screen, and One Life is an excellent example of that. The movie is about Nicky Winton (played by Johnny Flynn), a young London broker who, in the months leading up to World War II, saved Jewish children from the Nazis. I think I may have watched the That's Life episode that featured this story in the late '80s, but I was probably too young or disinterested at the time.

We are introduced to Nicky (Anthony Hopkins) living an idyllic retired life but still having flashbacks to the horrors he saw, the friends he lost and mostly the children’s faces. 669 were rescued in all, many of whom appeared on the That’s Life episode, designed to both surprise and honour the now tearful Nicky Winton.

Although the Hintons enjoyed a privileged life, it was their wise use of assets that mattered most. In this case, Winton's mother (Helena Bonham Carter) played an instrumental role.

The balance between the young and retired Nicky is just right. The film takes you to the brink of the horrors of war, making you clutch your coffee cup in fear, and then brings you back to the 80s when everything is okay again. It's a wonderful wartime story.

7½ /10