‘Finest’ blends wit, romance in WWII

‘Gifted’ unites Evans with new leading lady

By Lindsey Bahr

heir Finest’ is a movie about making a movie, specifically a glossy propaganda film meant to bolster morale in Britain in the darkest days of the Second World War. It is also very much a movie-movie. Good-looking, finely acted, and well-told, director Lone Scherfig (“An Education”) has made a charming, witty and romantic gem. It is “Shakespeare in Love” in World War II.

Adapted by Gaby Chiappe from the novel “Their Finest Hour and a Half” by Lissa Evans, “Their Finest” is centered on Catrin Cole (a luminous Gemma Arterton), a copywriter hired by the government to help write the “slop,” or female dialogue, for a film meant to lift the spirits of a war weary citizenry. She’s a sort of proto-Peggy Olson whose talents and thick skin get her a place at the table alongside the men (although she is, they make sure to hammer home, paid less than her male counterparts).

Catrin takes the job out of necessity — her husband Ellis (Jack Huston) is a disabled and temperamental artist whose bleak industrial landscapes aren’t selling and thus not bringing in any money for their rent. Although Ellis tries to talk her out of the work, Catrin comes alive in the writer’s room, sparring with the egotistical lead writer Tom Buckley (Sam Claflin) as they try to meld minds to make a compelling story out of a newspaper account of twin sisters who stole their alcoholic father’s boat to rescue soldiers from Dunkirk.

It’s a relentlessly appealing take on the creative process, laced with humor and insight as Tom and Catrin bicker and banter about just who the hero should be (a man or the woman?), and how strictly they should adhere to the facts (not much, and, by the way, be sure to cut out the boring parts). What ends up being put into production, of course, is worlds away from reality, but there’s a lovely discovery of the truth at the heart of the sisters’ heroics that eventually makes it onto the screen.

Caiappe and Scherfig pack the film with fun side characters and pseudo showbiz insider jokes, like when they go out to the past-his-prime actor Ambrose Hilliard (Bill Nighy, always the scene stealer) for the “corpse role” of the drunken father who’s described as being a “shipwreck of a man” who is in his 60s but “looks older.” Ambrose of course thinks he’s being considered for the part of the hero and is stunned to realize otherwise.

They’re also, late in the game, instructed that they have to cast an American in the film because, in addition to British propaganda, the government now needs this film to persuade the US to help out with the war efforts. The star they have in mind is a real Air Force pilot, Carl Lundbeck (Jake Lacy) — a Captain America type with golden locks and a million dollar smile. You can guess how that goes.

Predictable

But just because some of the beats are predictable doesn’t mean that “Their Finest” is ineffective — quite the opposite. The elegantly composed script even begins to mirror the film within the film as the romantic tension grows between Catrin and Tom. Both need an ending, but what will it be?

Claflin in particular is a standout, ironically because he’s been made to look less glamorous than usual. His mousy brown hair, rounded specs and layers of tweeds and wool lets his real acting heft shine through. You actually believe he’s the underdog.

Without giving too much away, there is a beat (you’ll know it when it comes) that might sour things for some audiences, but it’s not enough to destroy all the good that’s there. Inspiring, funny and genuinely romantic, “Their Finest” is a solid, refreshing crowdpleaser.

“Their Finest,” an STX Entertainment release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for “some language and a scene of sexuality.” Running time: 117 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.

Chris Evans glows around his new leading lady, who makes no secret of her excitement at hanging out with Captain America. She gushingly talks up his talents (“He can tap dance!”), yet is just as quick to keep him honest when he says something questionable.

She also travels with a selection of stuffed animals, including a plush seal in a pink dress.

Evans’ latest co-star is 10-year-old actress Mckenna Grace. They star together in “Gifted ,” a family drama opening Friday about an unassuming single guy raising his math-prodigy niece, determined not to let her brilliance interfere with her childhood.

Though Evans is an uncle in real life (his eldest sister has three kids, ages 3, 5 and 7), he says he bonded in a different way with Mckenna: as colleagues. Evans and “Gifted” director Marc Webb (“The Amazing SpiderMan”) saw dozens of girls read for the role, and Mckenna stood out with her childlike charm yet old-soul maturity.

“She might as well have an apartment,” he said. “I’m telling you, I’ve met lesser pros in adults.”

The 10-year-old actress — also a regular on TV’s “Designated Survivor” — is the kind of professional who asks if she can bring her stuffed seal along while promoting her new film. She also has a plush cat with her at this interview, noting she’s allergic to real cats.

Mckenna says she isn’t a math whiz like her character in “Gifted.” Instead, she feels like she’s gifted with a great family and amazing lifestyle.

“This experience is so wonderful and it makes me so thankful for my life. I’m gifted that I have my family here to support me and that I’m here right now with Chris,” she said, adding, “Well, every job could be my last, you know?” As for Evans’ gifts? Mckenna’s got that covered, too. “He has lots of secret talents,” she said. “He can tap dance! Though he still has not tap danced for me.” Evans sheepishly admits that yes, he does tap dance. “I’m looking to tap dance in a movie,” the actor said. “I want to find one! Maybe a nice Gene Kelly biopic.”

“He can sing and he can tap dance,” Mckenna declared, putting a point on the subject like a manager might.

The two did a lot of singing on set between takes, she said — mostly 1990s pop-rock.

“Her dad grew up listening to the Presidents of the United States of America, a band back in the ‘90s,” Evans said, “so we would sing ‘Peaches’ a lot, which was one of their better songs.”

Looking at Mckenna warmly, he added: “She couldn’t actually hear all of their songs because some of their songs have bad words.”

Mckenna said she and her dad also love watching Marvel movies together, so she already knew about Captain America before working with Evans.

“He’s so much more than Captain America,” she said. “’Civil War’ is always (playing) on the plane. And I look at it and I’m like, ‘Hey, I know him!’” (AP)