Birdsong

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Karl Z Apr 12 As a former military history instructor, I have a bit of a thing for The Great War, especially for the impact it had on European culture. It buried the 19th century in the trenches of France and ushered in the 20th century--not an improvement. You can read it in the war poetry, hear it in the music, see it in the art. I am particularly picky about how the Great War is portrayed in film. And i think Birdsong honors the men who fought. Redmayne was good; Mawle even better in overcoming the class divisions in the British army. They even managed to weave a love story into the film without screwing up the war itself. The creators of Birdsong respected the war; unlike Spielberg who trivialized it in War Horse. Maybe for an encore, he could make a film on a German Shepard in Iraq? I would rate Birdsong among the best representations of the Great War on screen--better than the empty remake of All Quiet, better than the silly 1917, and much better than War Horse. See more Claudia S Mar 16 It's not the acting, the choice of actors, or the storyline. It's the lack of understanding about how pacing affects a story—whether in a book or a film. The movie is too slow, dragging on, with every scene feeling as important as the last. This makes the entire experience feel insignificant. One gets bored, and no real emotions are evoked. This story definitely had the potential to be great, but for the director of this film: please learn the basics of pacing. Proper pacing keeps the story moving, balancing moments of tension, release, and emotional peaks to keep the audience engaged. Without this balance, the movie feels monotonous and emotionally draining. See more KEITH B Jan 10 Eddie Redmayne is becoming incredibly dull. His doe-eyed staring into space schtick is horribly overdone and seems to be his standard modus operandi in pretty much everything he does. I loved the book, but Redmayne's performance spoils what is, otherwise, a good adaptation. See more Katy P Jan 2 Absolutely brilliant, I just watched it for the first time. Incredibly emotive, highlights many narratives of those who fought I ww1. Absolutely fell in love with Stephen's character. Beautiful acting. See more Daniel E Jan 1 Couldn’t get into it extremely boring for a war film. Felt slow and dragged out. Each to their own I guess but this one’s not for me. See more walter m @Harlequin68 05/08/2015 It is 1916. Like many other young Englishmen, Stephen Wraysford(Eddie Redmayne) is serving his country in the trenches of France. Unlike many others, he is an officer. That entitles him to his own space, along with threatening a soldier with court martial for dereliction of duty and complaining to another officer about his soldiers being used to guard tunnel diggers, especially after one drowns. It is 1910. 20-year old Stephen has traveled to France to inspect the factory of Rene Azaire(Laurent Lafitte). One day, Stephen spies Rene's younger wife Isabelle(Clemence Poesy) bringing food to striking workers. Even though it has nothing really new to say about its none too subtly expressed themes of the randomness of war, there are still things to appreciate about "Birdsong." First, there is Eddie Redmayne which is very important. Then, there is the sensual love affair which works to help illustrate the movie's contrast between peace and war in early 20th century France. See more Read all reviews

Birdsong

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