I must be growing as a person because I’ll take this movie over a rom-com any day.

This movie had many things I normally avoid in a movie.

Historical setting, especially during war/post war but still war stuff. I don’t like the war poets. I don’t like war movies. I really don’t like movies that are set in the depressing aftermath of war. I don’t like human struggle.

But man, I liked this movie. It was the right backdrop for the plot. The context was interesting with multiple points of view, all flawed humans and all nicely used to world build.

Kiera Knightley in general, especially as a romantic interest. Like, can she never have a love that isn’t a triangle? Why must her life always be so stressful? So angsty? And even if it isn’t a triangle why can she never be in a normal, healthy relationship? She may play the part well but uggggg, when she’s in a movie I’m just like, guess I am going to spend this movie kind of hating her or her significant other for a chunk of my life.

But man, I liked her in this movie. Maybe it’s the context. Maybe it’s that they put in the effort to justify all her romantic choices without making cheap excuses but I don’t hate her plot in this at all.

*****SPOILERS*****

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Infidelity, I have a really hard time with that as a topic. It’s not romantic. It’s not giving into forbidden fruit. It’s knowing you’re making an intentional choice to hurt someone.

But man, am I willing to compromise all my hard lines for this movie. Is it the effort the put into the script? Is it how they resolved the entire thing? I think it’s the second one. Because they do an excellent job resolving the movie. Did I see it coming? Yes. Was I a bit worried they’d not do it because of some idea about romance? Yep.

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*****SPOILERS OVER*****

The makers of this movie made the right choice on everything right down to the last exhale as the screen faded to black. And I loved it.

Verdict: 5/5, the best romance I’ve seen in years. It’s melancholy in the best way.