Film - The Promise

Another historical film, this time set in Armenia during the Armenian Genocide. If only I was this interested in history when I was at school.The film tells us the story through the eyes of Mikael (Oscar Issac) who practices in natural medicine but longs to learn to be a doctor. The only way he can afford to study is by way of a dowry and so he is engaged the girl next door and off he goes to university in Constantinople. There he meets a woman (Charlotte Le Bon) who teaches the children of his well-to-do uncle, her boyfriend, a renowned American journalist (Christian Bale) who she met in Paris and a fellow student Emre (Marwan Kenzari), playboy son of a wealthy and prominent Turk.A bit of a love triangle ensues but before Mikael barely has time to learn anything when war breaks out and everyone at his university is enlisted. He escapes joining up with the help of bribery thanks to his new Turkish friend with the influential dad. In any case, the Turks start the genocide and his friend cannot help his uncle or him this time and off they go to a labour camp, building rail tracks for the Turkish army.This is a heart-breaking story of friendship, loyalty above all else hope with an excellent cast and you’ll be surprised which of the four main characters step up time and time again.This film may not have been the box office hit that it should have been but it sure has raised awareness of the Armenian genocide, something that Turkey deny to this day.#KeepthePromise8/10@RickieWrites