WINTER IN WARTIME Review

The brutal reality of life during the end of World War II in a Nazi-occupied village in the Netherlands forces a tragically quick maturity of a young boy in the spellbinding Dutch film, "Winter In Wartime". Bravely acted, skillfully directed, and as thematically heartrending now as it would be in 1945 (or any time, for that matter), it is the best film I've seen this year. Based upon a popular semi- autobiographical Dutch novel by Jan Terlouw, it hits all the beats - authentic adventure, curiosity, revelation, tragedy, charity, justice, and injustice.

When the story opens, fourteen-year-old Michiel (Martijn Lakemeier) is still a boy, pedaling around the countryside on his bicycle, a piece of cardboard firmly planted among the spokes to make it sound like a motorcycle. Upon discovering the hiding place of downed British pilot Jack (Jamie Campbell Bower), his innocence, and the piece of cardboard for that matter, are soon lost.

Upon his unintended arrival, Jack was forced to kill a German soldier in self-defense, and now the Nazis are spending all their time and manpower searching for him. It's almost as though they can sense that the end is near for them, so they busy themselves the only way the know how - by combing the countryside hungry for vengeance which they call justice.

Perhaps in an effort to follow in the footsteps on his beloved resistance fighter uncle Ben (Yorick van Wageningen), Michiel befriends Jack, sneaking him necessary supplies and food. When the need for a medical help becomes apparent, Michiel introduces Jack to his nurse sister, Erica (Melody Klaver). A love affair between nurse and patient develops, leaving Michiel hurt, confused, and curious - typical of the adolescent hormonal roller coaster, but all the more volatile in this delicate situation.

All the while, as Michiel's harsh coming of age is reflected in the duplicity and uncertainty all around him, a theme arises, that there's more to people than what is apparent. Michiel's boyhood contempt for his politically neutral father shifts. Likewise, when he finds himself in a near-death situation, Michiel's rescuer is among the unlikeliest of saviors. Again we see - and feel - that a major aspect of growing up is realizing there is more to the world than black and while.

Director Martin Koolhoven brings a sort of invisible assurance of storytelling confidence to the proceedings, although I could've done without his over-reliance upon the late-1990s gunmetal blue color tint, which is intended as visual shorthand to communicate humanity in drudgery. Composer Pino Donaggio provides a beautiful and powerful musical score that perfectly accompanies the omnipresent frozen landscapes of white.

As a war film, it beautifully captures the heroics of war with no hint of artificial glory. As a coming of age film, it treads in the realm of that rare "Toy Story 3" emotional "growing up" territory, albeit the dark side - being forced by circumstances and conditions beyond ones control to confront adulthood way to fast, and way too soon. At the same time, however, "Winter in Wartime" demonstrates that even the least of us have choices to make in tough times, and can make a difference - even when the cost is almost too much to bear. That may sound morally simple and trite, but the film is most certainly not.

Although "Winter in Wartime" is not a new film in some parts of the world (the original release date is late 2008 for its home territory of the Netherlands), it is only now receiving a well deserved theatrical release stateside. It is well worth seeking out.

- Jim Tudor