Testament of Youth – A Review
The film is based on Vera Brittain’s pacifist memoir of the same name. It gives you a good insight into the madness of a self mutilating, early 20th century ruling class diligently tramping off to suicide.
There is naff stuff during the runtime. The romance between the lead and Kit Harrington (Game of Thrones) feels flat. For someone so dreamy he is not a charming actor and their lack of chemistry shows. Also, at times it does feel like a fashion film. Some sequences feel all light and air; hot young people frolicking in lens flare. It’s pretty, but a bit too much.
For every one of these bits there are genuinely touching moments. Vera comforting a dying German is one such moment and the story, in an odd way, pivots on this scene.